CANADA, April 12 - New funding will support more people to train for jobs in much-needed positions in the Kootenays, such as digital business managers, at Kootenay Columbia College of Integrative Health Sciences through a new Community and Employer Partnerships (CEP) project funded by the Province.

“We are investing in training more people for rewarding work,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “B.C.’s digital space needs talented people to step into management positions and help B.C. businesses grow and thrive.”

The Province is providing $470,000 to Kootenay Columbia College of Integrative Health Sciences to deliver, together with its partners, digital business management training in Nelson to prepare participants as digital business managers, mid-upper business managers, marketing managers and executive assistants.

“Pursuing further education is a big personal decision, and our program combines theoretical and applied learning to help people be successful in their careers,” said Keshav Singla, president and CEO, Kootenay Columbia College of Integrative Health Sciences. “We’re working with our partners in the community to prepare graduates for rewarding careers in the industry.”  

Participants will receive 26 weeks of employability and occupational skills training, four weeks on-the-job work experience with local employers, and four weeks of followup support.

Full-time group-based training for the first cohort started March 20, 2023. The second group will start June 5. Anyone interested in finding out more about this or other CEP projects can contact their local WorkBC centre.

This announcement supports the StrongerBC Future Ready Plan to make post-secondary education and skills training more affordable and accessible, and to respond to the biggest challenge heard from businesses – the need for people. Budget 2023 invests $480 million over three years to support Future Ready’s work to break down barriers to post-secondary training so more people can get the training they need for in-demand careers and employers can access the talent they need.

Quotes:

Andrew Mercier, Minister of State for Workforce Development –

“We’re making training more affordable for people in the region so that they can build better lives for themselves and their families. This training prepares people for stable and successful careers in the digital business field.”

Brittny Anderson, MLA for Nelson-Creston –

“When we provide training, we are giving more people the opportunity to become active participants in the economy and help them build stronger and more prosperous futures for themselves and their families.”

Quick Facts:

• Funding for this project is provided through the Project-Based Labour Market Training stream of WorkBC’s CEP and is made possible through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement.
• CEP investments are targeted at projects that support an inclusive economic recovery.
• CEP projects support B.C. job seekers’ training and work experience, and help businesses and communities address labour-market challenges.
• Through CEP, the Province invests $15 million annually in communities throughout B.C.

Learn More:

To learn how CEP is helping local communities, visit: www.workbc.ca/Employment-Services/Community-and-Employer-Partnerships.aspx

To learn how WorkBC can help find British Columbians jobs that are right for them, visit: https://workbc.ca/

To find your local WorkBC centre, visit: https://www.workbc.ca/Employment-Services/WorkBC-Centres/WorkBC-Centres-Listing.aspx

To learn more about the Kootenay Columbia College Digital Business Management Diploma, visit: https://kootenaycolumbiacollege.com/digital-business-management-diploma/