VICTORIA — In celebration of Apprenticeship Recognition Month, the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills is touting the record number of 15,075 individuals enrolled in apprenticeship programs in British Columbia this year — a 20 per cent increase from 2022.
Throughout November, the province will be promoting the essential role of skilled tradespeople in the economy and their part in bridging the province’s skills gap.
For the fifth consecutive year, the contributions of apprentices, employer sponsors, youth program participants, and trades program training providers across B.C. are celebrated, and awareness is raised about the benefits of a career in skilled trades.
The significance of apprenticeships is echoed by industry professionals, illustrating the personal and professional growth opportunities within the skilled trades sector.
“The schooling that you get through an apprenticeship earns you more respect in the industry,” said Leah Gillanders, owner of Leah’s Automotive, in a press release. “The more you work, the more you understand, the more confident you are in everything that you do. Once you receive your certification, there’s always more avenues to further your education in the trades.”
Minister of State for Workforce Development, Andrew Mercier, pointed to the expected creation of more than 83,000 skilled-trades jobs over the next decade, marking this as an opportune time for careers in the skilled trades. The province provides technical training across over 65 trades through both public and private institutions, with SkilledTradesBC funding over 26,000 apprenticeship and foundation training seats.
Highlighting the individual impact of these training programs, Trevor Quilt, a Tsilhqot’in Nation carpentry apprentice, expressed the significance of his journey: “In becoming a certified tradesman, a Red Seal carpenter, I will be able to build and renovate homes in my First Nations community and Nation.”
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