Victoria is spending $5.2 million in training programs aimed at helping nearly 1,000 unemployed British Columbians transition back into the labour force or to further their education.
British Columbia Institute of Technology, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, Royal Roads University, Simon Fraser University and the University of Northern British Columbia will offer a total of 17 intakes across 10 different programs that will provide unemployed workers with 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-employment insurance (EI) clients. The province is providing $1.5 million to the five institutions.
Another $3.7 million has been provided to a labour market consortium made up of 15 colleges and universities for training at least 615 students across the province. The consortium model features a "hub" providing centralized co-ordination, support and shared expertise among the 15 member institutions that will deliver training in response to demands in their respective regions.