One Year Anniversary of ITA Mandate Review Marks Significant Progress for Skilled Trades

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - May 06, 2015) - The Industry Training Authority (ITA) has announced significant progress delivering recommendations from B.C.'s Skills for Jobs Blueprint: Re-engineering Education and Training and recommendations made one year ago in the mandate review conducted by Jessica McDonald, titled The Industry Training Authority and Trades Training in B.C.: Recalibrating for High Performance (McDonald Report).

The McDonald report (delivered on April 29, 2014) set out 29 recommendations to strengthen BC's trades training system. Over the past 12 months, ITA in collaboration with the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour (JTST) has refocused their approach to better support industry demand by implementing 14 of these recommendations. The remaining 15 are underway and on track for completion in the next nine months.

Over the past year, ITA has focused on transforming into a high-performance, customer-focused organization that is responsive and supportive of industry and apprentices. Key priorities that ITA has delivered on include:

• Developing and implementing a strategic plan to prepare a skilled and qualified workforce for BC's liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector titled, An Action Plan for LNG Trades Training.
• Introducing an Industry Relations team to oversee broader sector engagement.
• Identifying 10 Sector Advisory Groups (SAG) to represent key trade sectors.
• Supporting apprentices by introducing 15 Apprenticeship Advisors, including six Aboriginal-focused Advisors.
• Continuing to work with government in developing and establishing a transparent process for making training investment decisions that align with labour market demand targets.

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour -
"One year ago we launched an independent review of the Industry Training Authority to ensure it meets its mandate and reaches the targets and outcomes needed to help British Columbians develop the skills needed to be first in line for jobs. One year later, the ITA has made significant progress transforming their organization by implementing 14 of the 29 recommendations with the remaining 15 to be completed in the next nine months."

Gwyn Morgan, Board Chair, ITA -
"Increasing the supply of skilled trades workers is key to seizing the opportunities coming our way across the province. ITA has made great strides over the past year working with training providers, industry, labour, apprentices and other stakeholders to ensure we meet the demand of our growing economy and become a high performing organization that builds the trades that build BC."

Gary Herman, ITA, CEO -
"We moved quickly after our mandate review was released and are very proud of our accomplishments over the last year, and will continue to move forward with our renewed vision. ITA will keep working to deliver on the strategic priorities outlined in B.C.'s Skills for Jobs Blueprint and recommendations in the McDonald Report to ensure we have the right skills, in the right place, at the right time to align with BC's economic needs."

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 the 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.

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Quick Facts

• Over 39,000 apprentices were registered in skilled trades training last year, and over 21,000 apprenticeship training spaces were funded by ITA.
• Over 1,200 attendees attended 13 ITA Apprenticeship Advisor Open Houses across the province.
• Over 7,500 certificates of qualifications were issued last year.
• 8,335 elementary and secondary school students participated in hands-on skilled trades activities at 31 YES 2 IT events.
• Over 1,500 printed copies, and 400 digital copies of Leveling the Field: A Best Practices Guide for Employing Women in the Trades, were downloaded.
• WorkBC and ITA launched the Apprentice Job Match Tool, which connects apprentices and employer sponsors.
• November 7, 2014 was proclaimed as BC's first annual Apprenticeship Recognition Day.
• ITA launched An Action Plan for LNG Trades Training, to establish immediate and longer-term needs for implementation leading up to final investment decisions by major LNG proponents.

An infographic on ITA's accomplishments from the past year can be viewed at itabc.ca/about-ita/year-review.

Completed Recommendations by Ministry Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour and the Industry Training Authority (ITA)

1. Established the Labour Market Priorities Board (#6)
2. Reconstituted the ITA Board (#13)
3. Completed 90 Day Transition Plan (#29)
4. Ten Sector Advisory Groups being formed (#12)
5. Integrated functions of Industry Training Organizations into ITA (#11)
6. 15 regional Apprenticeship Advisors appointed, including six with Aboriginal focus (#21)
7. Dissolution of the Trades Training Consortium of BC as a Crown agency (#10)
8. Outcomes-based measures incorporated into service Plan (#17)
9. ITA confirmed as a Crown agency (#7)
10. Government confirmed its own decisions be aligned with targets and reinforced every partner has role in meeting targets (#5)
11. Organized labour recognized in the definition of "industry" (#14)
12. ITA eliminated by fiscal year-end holdbacks for courses not delivered by PSIs (#19)
13. Developed an inventory on partnerships between ITA, PSIs, K-12 system and innovation in the trades (#25)
14. Cabinet approved enhanced bid criteria on public sector procurement projects (#27)