Connecting students with skills training opportunities

Students need to connect with the skills required in our changing world – and two Ministry of Education programs aim to do just that by helping school districts connect kids with opportunities in skilled trades and tech training.

Applications are now open for B.C. school districts to apply for funding under the Shoulder Tappers Program and the Skills Training Access Grant.

Shoulder Tappers help districts make sure career coordinators and recruitment specialists work one-on-one mentoring students, encouraging them with positive input and advice. These tappers focus much of their time on forging and maintaining partnerships with employers and training providers to connect students with innovative workshops, training opportunities and on-the-job experience in the skilled trades and technology careers.

The Skills Training Access Grant helps districts get students connected with training. Through this grant program, students are traveling to communities for greater training opportunities with work clothes, tools, books and housing. Mobile training units are visiting students around the province, and small skills training classes are running to ensure students receive the attention they need to succeed.

Details on funding available are:

• Shoulder Tappers: The 40 districts that do not have programs funded through the Northern Development Initiatives Trust, Northern Opportunities Partnership, or South Island Partnership can apply for a minimum of $13,500.
• Skills Training Access Grant: $5,000 grants will go to up to 30 school districts meeting the set criteria for the grant.

The deadline for districts to apply for the funding to support students is Sept. 30, 2016.

These two grants are supporting the commitment made in B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint to provide support for school districts in reaching the skills training target.

B.C.’s new curriculum is designed to help improve student achievement and success. The curriculum provides a flexible and innovative plan to help B.C. students gain the knowledge and skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow. Learn more about the new curriculum at: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/