Free training programs are helping Nechako workers find new jobs

Bruce McKay, vice-president academic at the College of New Caledonia, said the program is for people who have lost their jobs and are looking for new opportunities.

“This initiative is to support individuals who have recently been displaced with tariff implications to upgrade their driver’s licence training to get their Class 2 or Class 3 driver’s licence,” McKay said.

McKay said the training is free for participants.

“We’ve partnered with the province to provide the funding so that participants can do this training at no cost,” he said. “Get their Class 2 driver’s licence, their Class 3 driver’s licence, some other additional supports that WorkBC provides. This is all done at no cost to the participant.”

Right now, eight students are taking part in the program, which lasts about 16 to 18 weeks. When they finish, they get their commercial driving credentials and extra training support.

The Province says people in the program can also earn certifications like air brakes, first aid, WHMIS, transportation of dangerous goods, and defensive driving.

These investments are happening as governments work to help people affected by tariffs and other economic challenges.

WorkBC programs fund the training, with extra support from the federal Canada-B.C. Tariff Response initiative. This funding will last three years and help workers get training, job support, and help changing careers.

McKay said the program aims to help unemployed people get back to work and also get ready for jobs linked to big projects.

“The vision is really to put mechanisms in place to support those learners who want to upskill, to reskill, to get back into the workforce,” he said.

He said there is still a strong need for workers in northern B.C.

“There are truly thousands and thousands of jobs coming up in the next few years,” McKay said, pointing to opportunities connected to major projects and resource development.

The Province says these training programs are run with help from groups like the College of New Caledonia, the District of Vanderhoof, and the Vanderhoof Chamber of Commerce Society.

In Vanderhoof, heavy equipment training has two groups and includes hands-on practice. Safety training gives students certifications that are often needed in construction, transportation, and resource jobs.

The truck driving and transit training program also helps connect participants directly with employers. According to the Province, participants met with four local employers during a networking event at CNC’s Vanderhoof campus in June. Two participants secured employment before completing the program, including one participant hired as a sanitation pump truck driver.

McKay said many employers are looking for people with training. ” It’s literally an imbalance of thousands of positions out there,” he said. “These companies are looking to pay very great wages to individuals who are coming to work for them.”

He said there are job opportunities in many areas, including trades, transportation, health care, and short courses that teach specific workplace skills.

McKay encourages anyone interested in training to contact CNC and talk to enrollment staff about the programs and who can join.

The Province says the main goal is to help workers find steady, well-paying jobs and to support employers who need more staff in the region.

by Dave Branco

Free training programs are helping Nechako workers find new jobs

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