New Trades Training Program for Aboriginal People in B.C. to Begin Fall 2015

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - September 04, 2015) - The Industry Training Authority (ITA) announced today that a new trades training program will be offered in B.C. starting October 2015 to fill the growing demand for labour in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) sector.

This program directly aligns with B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint to increase the number of Aboriginal People in the skilled trades by 15,000 over the next 10 years, as well as ITA’s confirmed action in An Action Plan for LNG Trades Training to develop a specialized Construction Craft Worker (CCW) Program targeted at Aboriginal People that integrates essential skills and cross-cultural components and leads directly to employment.

The Tl’azt’en Nation Pilot Program in the northern interior of BC (near Fort St. James) includes five key partnerships:

• Tl’azt’en Nation -- Project host
• College of New Caledonia, Fort St. James campus -- Technical training, finances and project management
• Prince George Nechako Aboriginal Employment and Training Association (PGNAETA) -- Skill building
• Fort Outreach Employment Services -- Employment supports
• Trans Canada Pipelines, Mt. Milligan Mine -- Program support to students

Portions of the training will be delivered directly in the Tl’azt’en Nation community in partnership with the College of New Caledonia and support from the PGNAETA.

The Gitxaala Enhanced Construction Craft Worker (E-CCW) Pilot Program in northwest B.C. (near Prince Rupert) includes four key partners:

• Gitxaala Nation -- Project host and finances
• Coast Educational Development and Research (Cedar) -- Program management and reporting, recruiting, screening and assessment, job-placement and post placement management
• Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) -- Skill building and technical training with Workplace Certifications through the Coastal Training Centre
• Coast Industrial Construction (CIC), construction company owned by Gitxaala Nation -- Employer and apprentice sponsor

In a scenario with the construction of five LNG plants between 2015 and 2024, it is expected that 58,700 direct and indirect construction jobs and 23,800 permanent, direct and indirect operations jobs will be created. It is projected that Construction Craft Workers will be the largest single area of occupational demand for the construction phase of LNG development in the province.

Quotes

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister responsible for Labour

“B.C. is projected to be one of the economic leaders in the country this year and First Nations are an important part of keeping our province diverse, strong and growing. With the many LNG job openings on the horizon, the Enhanced Construction Craft Worker pilot program will provide Aboriginal people with skills training and work experience necessary to be employed by a wide variety of general contractors and act as an entry point into numerous other careers in B.C.’s construction industry.”

John Rustad, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation

“LNG offers huge opportunities for employment and economic growth for First Nations communities. The Enhanced Construction Craft Worker program is an excellent example of how government is partnering with First Nations, educators and industry to ensure First Nations and Aboriginal people have the skills and training they need to benefit from LNG development.”

Henry Reiser, President, College of New Caledonia (CNC)

"CNC is always committed to providing high-quality training and education to northern B.C. citizens through community and industry partnerships. We are pleased to be able to help the Tl'azt'en First Nation meet its strategic plan for capacity building by offering this program and ensuring viable long-term employment to its members."

Gary Herman, CEO, ITA

“The two Enhanced Construction Craft Worker Pilot Programs are a start at training British Columbia’s Aboriginal communities for jobs in construction and the LNG sector. With this entry-level program plus the new Red Seal Construction Craft Worker Program, we are investing in British Columbians to ensure they are first in line for jobs here in our province.”

Gary McDermott, Director, Aboriginal Initiatives, ITA

“These two pilot Construction Craft Worker Programs will really give Aboriginal People in these communities employable skills. I look forward to evaluating the success of these programs and determining future opportunities for more Aboriginal communities to take part in this program.”

To develop this program, ITA engaged with over 700 stakeholders for validation with: a Project Steering Committee, environment scans of relevant programs, a visit to Australia LNG sites, interviews with key informants, and community dialogues in the north and south of B.C. ITA also self-administered surveys to apprentices and employer sponsors, conducted industry interviews and consulted with B.C. government. See the Engagement Summary Report: http://www.itabc.ca/aboriginal-people-trades/enhanced-construction-craft-worker.

About the Enhanced Construction Craft Worker Program

The Enhanced Construction Craft Worker (E-CCW) Program is a training and employment program to support Aboriginal People to enter and succeed in the Construction Craft Worker (CCW) trade. The E-CCW Program is intended for Aboriginal People in BC to address systematic barriers to training and employment. The program provides specialized training and employment supports in three areas:

1. Access to up-front essential skills assessment and upgrading, life skills, work skills, cross-cultural skills, and industry required certificates.
2. CCW Level 1 in-school technical training with classroom supports.
3. Connections to apprentice sponsorship and employment with a workplace mentor.

Upon completion of the E-CCW Program, participants can go on to complete the CCW Level 2 technical training to earn their Red Seal certification.

A Construction Craft Worker installs utility piping, places concrete, constructs roads, performs selective demolition, performs underground work, assists skilled tradespersons such as Carpenters, Bricklayers and Cement Finishers in construction activities, helps Heavy Equipment Operators secure special attachments to equipment, guides operators in moving equipment and performs labouring activities at construction sites. They are employed by a wide variety of general contractors, municipalities, and oil and gas companies.

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.