STE- Trade Starter Program

Trade Starters for Equity Deserving Groups Training Project

Fully Government funded Trades Starter Training Program aims to address the under- representation of certain demographics in SkilledTradesBC-recognized trades by providing comprehensive pre-apprenticeship training and skill development. The program targets individuals who face barriers to entering the workforce, offering them opportunities to obtain sustainable employment, skilled trades positions, or apprenticeships within their communities or across the province. We are accepting applications for all three cohorts.

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Streams and Cohorts:

Cohort 1: Electrical Trades : 14th April’2025 - 29th Aug’2025

Cohort 2: Mechanical trades : 20th May’2025 - 3rd Oct’2025
Cohort 3: Automotive trades : 23rd June’2025 - 7th Nov’2025
Admissions Requirements:
- Living in BC
- PR OR Canadian Citizen OR Protected person legally entitled to work in Canada
- Unemployed OR precariously employed
- Eligible if you are any one of the following demographics of Equity Deserving group-Self-Identified Women/2SLGBTQIA +/Immigrants/Black Canadians/Racialized Persons/Youth Adult at risk OR Indigenous people
- Not receiving duplicative financial supports from another provincially or federally funded labour market program
Not be a full time student in high school or post secondary education or training

Certificate Courses:

1. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)

2. Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)

3. Emergency First Aid

Benefits:

1. Fully funded training at Ace Trades and Technical Institute (ATTI).

2. One-on-one employment counselling and coaching services

3. Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

4. Job search skills training and directed work search support

5. Assistance with re-entry into the workforce

6. Specific skills training tailored to targeted jobs

7. Insight into current labor market trends and work environments

Expected Outcomes:

1. Increased employability skills

2. Improved soft skills for workplace sustainability

3. Hands-on experience through work placements

4. Enhanced understanding of labor market trends

5. Graduation with necessary skills and credentials for employment

Program Objective:

Trade starter program is 20 weeks program intends to provide trade sampler or pre-apprenticeship training to equity deserving groups and provide maximum exposure possible to different trades that require certification in order to work in the field. PPE and Short term certification will be provided to participations with soft skills. After the participants finish the training, we will support them with job placement.

Topics covered in the training

Cohort 1: Electrical Trades-Construction Electrician, Industrial Electrician, Powerline Technician;

Cohort 2: Mechanical Trades- Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic, Gasfitter A&B, Steamfitter / Pipefitter, Metal Sheet Worker;

Cohort 3: Automotive Trades- Heavy Duty Equipment Technician, Automotive Service Technician, and Autobody and Collison Technician