September 14, 2009

Province Invests more than $350,000 into Local Skills Training

SURREY – The Province is investing $352,371 in training programs at SFU’s Surrey campus to help local unemployed residents acquire the skills they need to transition back to the labour force or into further education.

“During this challenging economic time, having the skills to succeed is more important than ever,” says Surrey-Tynehead MLA Dave S. Hayer. “This is a great investment in our students and our community.”

“Upgraded skills education is a foundation from which many workers can enjoy a more stable and higher standard of life,” says Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Kevin Falcon. “This is a great demonstration of our government’s commitment to a strong B.C. and our local success.”

“A prosperous future for Surrey includes a skilled, educated workforce,” says Surrey-Panorama MLA Stephanie Cadieux. “With this investment, we are continuing to ensure residents have the tools they need to strengthen the local economy.”

SFU Surrey campus programs that will benefit from this provincial investment includes:

• $220,328 for Advanced English for the Workplace.

• $132,043 for the Aboriginal Employment Preparation Program – Training for the Hospitality Industry.

Five institutions across the province will be offering a total of 17 intakes across 10 different programs that will provide unemployed workers general employment skills or job-specific skills, such as industrial material handling and logistics and software systems development. To be eligible for these programs, individuals need to be unemployed and non-EI clients. The Province is providing a total of $1.5 million to five institutions across the province, which will begin offering the programs in August.

The B.C. government, working with academic, industry and other partners is enabling British Columbians to gain the skills needed to successfully participate in our provincial labour market, and respond positively to changing workplace demands.

Under the Labour Market Agreement (LMA), the Government of Canada is providing the Province approximately $66 million annually until 2013/14. Through a variety of programs, these funds will increase training for individuals who are low-skilled and require essential skills, or who require recognized credentials to reach their full potential in the current marketplace. They will also help increase access to training for unemployed individuals who are not currently Employment Insurance (EI) clients including, but not limited to, those who are underrepresented in the labour market.

For more information on the LMA, visit www.WorkBC.ca.

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