Two new 12-week, tuition-free programs will add 36 new seats for women and Indigenous people at Camosun College.
The programs will focus on civil, mechanical and electrical engineering and computer sciences.
“These new programs at Camosun College will open excellent opportunities for women and Indigenous peoples to pursue sustainable, well-paying careers in this accelerating industry,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs Economic Development and Innovation.
“With these new seats, we will be able to open the doors to a rewarding career in tech for two underserved groups,” said Lane Trotter, President of Camosun College.
The B.C. government will provide a one-time funding of $60,000 and a capital allocation of $180,000. The annual operating budget for the new programs is $468,000.
“The additional funding to further expand tech programming at Camosun is great news,” said Trotter.
Only 16.4 per cent of newly licensed engineers are women, according to Engineers Canada.
A labour-market study by the First Nations Technology Council found that Indigenous people hold less than 1 per cent of B.C.’s tech sector jobs despite making up about 5 per cent of the province’s population.
“Tech sampler programs will allow women and Indigenous peoples to explore a career in the sector and also align with the core values of the college,” said Eric Sehn, Dean of Trades and Technology at Camosun College.
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