EnergyBC

Education (more...)

Many advocates of offshore oil and gas development see BC's resources as chance to expand Canada's role in offshore technology development. Several programs have been created on the East Coast to assist Canadians and especially Newfoundlanders in obtaining higher paying jobs within the industry. Can BC expect similar initiatives? The JWEL report (2001) indicated that the Pacific Marine Training Institute, the engineering faculty at the University of British Columbia, the British Columbia Institute of Technology, the Technical University of British Columbia and the technology programs at local colleges are well suited to provide necessary education and training. In addition, research opportunities exist for many of the local institutes, universities and research related companies.

Education and Employment	- most of the employment generated by the petroleum companies tends to be taken by highly skilled migrant workers
	- local workers are often employed only in lower-paying service sector jobs
	- BC stats shows that the Skeena-Queen Charlotte region has one of the highest percentages of youth not completing high school in the province
	- lack of basic and post-secondary education limits the opportunities to obtain longer-term higher-paying jobs
East Coast Initiatives	- in Newfoundland there were efforts to increase the number of highly skilled local residents able to to secure long-term employment during offshore development
	- programs in trade skills were made available which serves both the offshore industry and allows for work in other fields
	- there are also related degree programs at local universities which the petroleum industries tend to support by supplying scholarships and research money

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