A grant program that offers British Columbians up to $3,500 to take micro-credential courses has opened its second round of funding.
Launched last year, the grants are available to high school graduates aged 19 and up and aim to provide residents with an accessible way to increase their skill sets.
Micro-credentials are short-term post-secondary courses that allow people who are working full-time or juggling other responsibilities to learn in a more flexible way. For instance, they are often offered virtually to be done at a student's own pace or in the evenings.
In B.C., micro-credentials are offered in more than 300 programs across the province's universities and colleges. Some training options include for emergency medical responders or dental office administrators, wildfire fighters, construction workers, digital marketers and cybersecurity workers.
Premier David Eby said more than 7,000 people benefited from the program in 2023. Announcing the second round of funding on Wednesday (July 24), he noted that ensuring British Columbians can access additional training now will be key to a strong workforce in the coming years.
The province has estimated there will be one million job openings in the next decade, more than 800,000 of which will require people to have post-secondary education of some kind.
The grant program is set to run over three years and is backed by $39 million in funding.
A full list of available programs can be found on the EducationPlannerBC website.
