Youth & Unemployed Workers Gain Access to Skills Training: Western Community College

Youth and unemployed workers in the Lower Mainland & Fraser Valley will get training opportunities that build on skills they have, while forging a path to rewarding careers in health care, informational technology, bookkeeping and office administration, and community support.

These training initiatives are funded through Community Workforce Response Grants, provides youth and unemployed individuals impacted by COVID-19 with short-term skills training to so they can develop the knowledge and competencies for good job opportunities while the economy recovers.

Western Community College (WCC) and Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) will train up to 270 youth and unemployed individuals in working in health care, informational technology, bookkeeping and office administration, and community support in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

Participants in these programs will receive occupational-specific training, essential skills, and financial supports training over the course of several weeks, followed by four weeks of on-the-job work experience placements and job search support. “These programs aim to engage youth and unemployed individuals affected by COVID-19, providing an opportunity to acquire the training necessary to obtain employment in recovery sectors of the economy,” said Gurpal Dhaliwal, President of WCC.

Each program offers a different occupational stream including health care, informational technology, bookkeeping and office administration, and community support. Dhaliwal added “Partnering with PICS, a well-known, community-based organization, enhances our ability to provide participants with the essential skills and supports needed to effectively attach to the labour market.”