Industry Training Authority Announces New Chief Operating Officer

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - September 02, 2015) - The Industry Training Authority (ITA) has appointed Jeff Lekstrom as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective September 14, 2015. Lekstrom will be responsible for ITA's customer service, industry relations, training delivery, and program standards activities.

Lekstrom was the Dean of Trades at Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek until 2012. Following that, he was the General Superintendent at Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold in Papua, Indonesia, where he was responsible for the Nemangkawi Mining Institute. Lekstrom began his career as a Red Seal Welder and went on to operate his own welding business for 12 years.

Most recently, Lekstrom has been providing consulting services to ITA on the Pan-Canadian Harmonization project to standardize Red Seal training across Canada to enhance labour mobility.

"Jeff brings a wealth of leadership and trades training experience to ITA," says Gary Herman, CEO, ITA. "His addition to ITA and the senior leadership team will benefit us and BC as we build a worldclass apprenticeship system."

About the Industry Training Authority
The Industry Training Authority (ITA) leads and coordinates British Columbia's skilled trades system. ITA works with employers, employees, industry, labour, training providers and government to issue credentials, manage apprenticeships, set program standards and increase opportunities in the trades. ITA is also a key collaborator in B.C.'s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, which sets out a plan for re-engineering our education and training system to support our growing and changing economy, and to help British Columbians take full advantage of the opportunities presented by these changes. www.itabc.ca