School District 47 is an award winner.
The Powell River district recently received the Industry Training Authority (ITA) Youth Work in Trades Performance Award.
This comes as the result of having the highest number of students in trades training in their region.
Advanced Education, Skills and Training Minister Melanie Mark congratulated the district, adding, “I am so proud of all the young people who are pushing the envelope and finding their passion in the trades. As Minister, I sincerely believe that a Red Seal certification is just as valuable as a degree.”
ITA’s Chief Executive Officer, Shelley Gray, thanked all partners for helping students on a path to success.
“The Powell River School District, teachers, and employers in the program are providing students with crucial hands-on experience that is required for their apprenticeship training,” Gray said.
The award includes $5,000 in funding to assist the district to further develop their Youth Work in Trades program.
Seven other school districts received a Youth Work in Trades Performance Award.
“Over the past 15 years, I have been directly involved with putting over 750 students through our trades programs in auto service, carpentry, culinary arts, hairdressing, and welding,” said Jim Palm, Career Education, SD47.
“It never ceases to amaze me how engaged, focused, and happy our students are during their skills development in each trade. It is a real bonus connecting with past graduates to hand them a $1,000 Youth Work in Trades scholarship from the ITA and the Ministry of Education for 900 plus hours of paid work as they progress on their apprenticeship road. Simply an amazing head start on life.”
