Fort St. John, British Columbia – Today,
the Oil and Gas Industry Training Centre of Excellence at the Northern
Lights College in Fort St. John received $800,000 under the Western
Economic Partnership Agreement. The Centre will create new employment
opportunities and assist in training a highly qualified workforce
to strengthen British Columbia’s oil and gas industry.
“The tremendous growth of B.C.’s oil and gas sector
is creating new career opportunities in Fort St. John and across
the province,” said the Honourable Jay Hill, Member of Parliament
for Prince George-Peace River and Chief Government Whip on behalf
of the Honourable Carol Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and
Minister of Western Economic Diversification. “By strengthening
educational capacity, we can meet the growing demands for highly-skilled
workers in this industry and capitalize on significant economic
opportunities.”
"In partnership with government, more than a dozen companies
stepped forward to support the Centre financially and with in-kind
support,” said Richard Neufeld, BC Minister of Energy, Mines
and Petroleum Resources. “That’s a pretty big vote of
confidence by this resource sector in our province and the Centre
of Excellence. To have the federal government partner now shows
how everyone supports this facility.”
“This Centre will offer students the opportunity to acquire
new skills and receive oil and gas training in an innovative and
responsive environment,” said John Birnie, acting president
of Northern Lights College. “It will enable the College, with
the assistance of secondary and post-secondary educational partners
and Aboriginal human resource agencies, to meet industry’s
labour needs by providing quality training with the best facilities
and equipment available.”
The Oil and Gas industry Training Centre of Excellence will support
Northern Lights College’s plans to accommodate an additional
180 students in vocational, trades, career and technical programs
related to the oil and gas training. By 2008, B.C. will have 200
new skilled workers and 43 full-time positions in the oil and gas
industry.
The Western Economic Partnership Agreement is a $50 million joint
federal-provincial program supporting economic development in British
Columbia. Western Economic Diversification Canada and the Ministry
of Economic Development jointly administer the program.
For additional information, contact:
Fiona MacLeod
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National
Revenue and Minister of Western
Economic Diversification Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
Tel: (613) 995-2960
Linda Yaciw
Communications and Marketing Assistant
Northern Lights College
(250) 782-5251
Web site: www.nlc.bc.ca
Jinny Wu
Communications Officer
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Vancouver, British Columbia
Tel: (604) 666-2445
WD Toll-Free Number:
1 888 338-WEST (9378)
Web Site: WD is online at
www.wd-deo.gc.ca.
