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BC NDP plan to increase apprenticeship funding a massive win for trades training system
The BC Building Trades enthusiastically supports today’s announcement by the BC NDP that it will invest $150 million over three years in SkilledTradesBC to double the trade-apprentice seats from the current 26,000 to more than 50,000.
“The BC NDP has made unprecedented investments in infrastructure and housing. At the same time, our province is facing a significant skilled trades shortage,” said Brynn Bourke, executive director of the BC Building Trades. “This is a generational investment that will drastically increase support for future apprentices.”
According to BuildForce Canada, B.C. will need to recruit and train an additional 52,600 construction workers by 2032 to support workforce demands in the construction industry.
BC Building Trades unions play a significant role in trades training though their joint union/contractor boards. Collectively, Building Trades affiliates sponsor more than 5,000 registered apprentices and host nearly 10,000 learners in our union training system.
“Apprenticeship training is at the heart of what our Building Trades unions do,” said Bourke. “For many years, our unions have subsidized the trades training system in order to support apprentices throughout their journey. This funding will go a long way to building back the trades training system and providing the resources to open more classes, hire more instructors and deliver the skilled workforce B.C. needs.”
Media Contact
Jeremy Allingham
Director of Communications, BC Building Trades Council 604-353-1044 I [email protected]
About the BC Building Trades Council
Established in 1967, the BC Building Trades represents 20 local craft construction unions and more than 45,000 unionized construction workers in B.C. These highly skilled workers account for approximately 55 per cent of the non-residential construction labour force. We work with construction companies to leverage the most out of development for all stakeholders, to advance the economic prosperity of the province, to put local workers first and to ultimately build a better British Columbia.