Selkirk College was one of 19 schools in BC to receive funding to buy up to date equipment this year. Each school received $160,000 which the province says benefits trades and technology programs. That includes Selkirk’s heavy mechanical program where the money was used to purchase a rock truck.
The College of the Rockies in the East Kootenay was also able to purchase computerized plasma cutters for the welder program.
Trades and technology workers are in high demand with about 71,000 openings projected in trades in the next decade. That’s according to the 2018 BC Labour Market Outlook which also projects 82,3000 tech-related openings.