2024 BC Indigenous Apprenticeship Forum Burnaby BC on April through May 02, 2024 – Electrical Workers Local 993

Posted on May 1, 2024 8:24 am

This gathering was a pivotal platform for connecting with Indigenous skills and training organizations, other unions, and industry professionals. It offered an excellent opportunity to deepen our understanding of apprenticeship dynamics and strengthen ties within the community.

During the forum, we focused on several key objectives:

• Promoting Indigenous participation to expand BC’s labour force;
• Supporting the development of a skilled trades labour force enriched by Indigenous talent;
• Establishing and reinforcing lasting partnerships;
• Emphasizing the significant role of women and youth in trades;
• Discussing avenues for accessing Indigenous financial training sponsorships in local areas;
• Exchanging best practices and success stories from Indigenous partnership industries;
• Touring the BC Institute of Technology’s Trades Division;
• Visiting Union Trades Training Institutes; and
• Participating in the “Memorandum of Understanding” signing ceremony.

These activities not only fostered collaboration but also highlighted the collective efforts towards inclusive growth in the trades sector. The forum was incredibly insightful and reaffirmed our commitment to supporting and promoting Indigenous apprenticeships. It was an enriching experience that I would recommend to any professional focused on fostering diversity and strengthening community ties within the trades.