Province provides Selkirk College funding for new trades training equipment

Selkirk College is receiving $87,000 from the provincial government to purchase new industry-standard technology for its trades.

by Keith Powell — November 20, 2015

Selkirk College Millwright/Machinist Program student Josh Carr works on the new industry-standard drill press that was purchased with the last round of funding from the provincial government. — Photo courtesy selkirk.ca

Showing a strong commitment to growing the BC's economy in the trades, the provincial government has provided a funding infusion that has allowed Selkirk College to purchase more industry-standard equipment for its shops and classrooms. Selkirk College is receiving $87,000 from the provincial government to purchase new industry-standard technology for its trades programs.

As part of B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, the government is investing $12 million in 2015-16 for new trades equipment at 14 public post-secondary institutions so students planning to enter in-demand occupations learn their trade using the best quality technology.

“This investment in trades training equipment will offer students hands-on learning opportunities to put them first in line for jobs,” says East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett. “I am proud to support the Selkirk College community as it trains a skilled workforce for our diverse, strong and growing economy in BC.”

Government is investing $185 million over three years in new trades training equipment and facilities to support students that will help meet the need for skilled tradespeople in BC.

“We appreciate the investment by the provincial government to help provide top notch training for Selkirk College students,” says Rob Schwarzer, chair of Selkirk College’s School of Industry & Trades Training. “We will put this funding to good use and continue to ensure that the students who attend Selkirk College are job ready.”

Millwright/Machinist Program student Dani Kent works on the metal lathe that was purchased with the last round of provincial government funding.

Province Shows Commitment to Future Growth

B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint outlines how the province is re-engineering the education system from Kindergarten through to post-secondary training and beyond to ensure education and training aligns with the province’s future employment trends. It is estimated that by 2022 there will be one million job openings in BC and more than 78 per cent of those jobs will require some form of post-secondary education.

Consultations with institutions, the Industry Training Authority (ITA), as well as current labour market data, inform decisions for funding.

Selkirk College will use the $87,000 to purchase a vertical milling machine (millwright/machinist), Dynasty 350 power source (welding), ProStar manual cold saw (welding) and Stonebake oven (Professional Cook Training). Last year the province provided Selkirk College $315,000 for equipment for the shops on the Nelson-based Silver King Campus.