All month, we’re taking our hats off to B.C.’s apprentices, acknowledging their contributions and those who support their success in building and maintaining our thriving communities throughout the province.
The Government of British Columbia has proclaimed November as Apprenticeship Recognition Month, and Industry Training Authority (ITA) will be highlighting the many roles that apprentices play in supporting a strong, innovative economy and building the best B.C. throughout November.
“The skills, dedication and heart of B.C.’s nearly 39,000 apprentices are critically important to keeping our communities vibrant, and economic engines running,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. “In the next decade, we expect about 71,000 job openings in the trades. These careers are good-paying and long-lasting family supporting jobs. Our government values the trades people who keep our lights on, our homes warm, and our cars running. We are focused on opening doors for apprentices while breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for women, Indigenous people, and other underrepresented groups to join our thriving economy.”
B.C. has seen a steady increase of people entering skilled trades professions and has a focus on encouraging Indigenous people and women to enter the trades.
Having a thriving apprenticeship system across the province is critical to B.C.’s economy and in providing the key services that build and maintain our communities.
More people are entering into skilled trades apprenticeships, and with that, the numbers of Certificates of Qualification are also increasing in B.C., reflecting the rising number of opportunities and a growing understanding of the value of trades careers. An apprenticeship in a skilled trade is an important entry point to a long-lasting career path with a range of rewarding opportunities.
“Becoming a registered apprentice means starting a journey of excellence and exploration and can create credibility and experience that will offer opportunities that many people might not have even considered at the start of the skilled trades careers,” said Shelley Gray, CEO of ITA. “And those who complete an apprenticeship and achieve certification or their Red Seal have unlimited career potential. The future really is theirs.”
Apprenticeship Recognition Month is a great opportunity to bring attention to the status and value of the skilled trades, and ITA is running a month-long online contest to encourage a province-wide conversation about rewarding trades careers.
ITA is challenging all skilled trades professionals in B.C. to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t have a trades career about the valued and great opportunities in our province. After the conversation:
- tag @ita_bc on Twitter or Instagram or @IndustryTrainingAuthority on Facebook
- tag the person they’ve spoken with
- tell ITA about their conversation
- include the hashtag #TalkTrades
ITA will enter the tradesperson and the other person in a draw for a $500 Visa gift card each. One entry per person per social media channel. The contest is running on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. More information and rules are available on the ITA website.
ITA is also elevating the status and value of skilled trades careers with #ApprenticeNow, a cheeky online campaign highlighting the real-world value of skilled trades, and encouraging more people to seek out an in-demand trades profession. Throughout the month, ITA will also be sharing the profile of some key outreach team members, its Apprenticeship Advisors, on its blog.
- This is the first Apprenticeship Recognition Month in British Columbia; previously, it was celebrated as Apprenticeship Week.
- There are nearly 39,000 apprenticeships:
- 10% of apprentices are women.
- 8% of apprentices are Indigenous.
- There are more than 6,900 youth trades program participants.
- B.C. is home to over 100 trades, 51 of which are nationally recognized Red Seal.
- ITA expects to fund over 21,000 apprenticeship training seats this year at public and private institutions.
- Since 2018, ITA has signed eight memoranda of understanding with Indigenous organizations across the province to increase training and employment opportunities in their home communities
- In November, ITA’s first Director of Women in Trades will be supporting the increase of women in under-represented trades.
- In 2018/19, the province invested $3 million in industry-standard training equipment to give trades and tech students the skills they need to succeed.
About the Industry Training Authority (ITA)
The Industry Training Authority (ITA) leads and coordinates British Columbia’s skilled trades system. ITA works with apprentices, employers, industry, labour, training providers and government to fund training, issue credentials, support apprenticeships, set program standards and increase opportunities in the trades. For more information, visit itabc.ca.
