NEW $1M SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES

VICTORIA – The Return to Work Employability Program, with a $1 million budget for 2008/09, creates new employment opportunities for British Columbians, providing them with the opportunity to obtain skills that today’s employers are seeking, announced Murray Coell, Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development.

“Through this new program, we’re investing in our province’s most valuable asset, our people,” said Coell. “This employability program, now being offered in eight communities, has been designed to help British Columbians, particularly those in smaller, rural communities, gain the job skills needed to be successful.”

Each participant in the Return to Work Employability Program will receive individual and group-based training to improve their skills and readiness to work, as well as support for post-training job searches.

“This new program will go a long way to help British Columbians increase their skills and employment opportunities,” said Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. “Through our Labour Market Agreement, we are helping employers find the skilled labour they need, and through this new project, we are delivering on our commitment to help everyone access to the information, training and services they need to find jobs in B.C.”

Through programs like Return to Work, the B.C. government is working hard to help rural communities survive and thrive in tough economic times. The Province has created the RuralBC Secretariat and made accessible a comprehensive list of tools that communities can access, through www.ruralbc.gov.bc.ca, to achieve their visions of the future.

Participants can be unemployed individuals who are non-Employment Insurance clients; or employed individuals who do not have a high school diploma, a recognized certification or who have low levels of literacy and essential skills in the workplace.

The B.C. government, working with academic, industry and other partners is enabling British Columbians to gain the skills needed to successfully participate in B.C.’s provincial labour market, and respond positively to changing workplace demands.

Each year for the next six years, the Government of Canada will provide approximately $66 million to the Province under the Labour Market Agreement. Through a variety of programs, these funds will increase training for employed individuals who are low-skilled and require essential skills, or who require recognized credentials to reach their full potential in the current marketplace. They will also help increase access to training for unemployed individuals who are not currently Employment Insurance clients, including but not limited to, those who are underrepresented in the labour market.

For more information on the LMA, visit www.WorkBC.ca.

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Media contact:	Craig MacBride Public Affairs Officer 250 356-7882 250 896-9704

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