The importance of local skills-based programs was underlined by the attendance at a Kitimat Valley Institute graduation ceremony by B.C. Liberal leader Andrew Wilkonson and Skeena MLA Ellis Ross.
The graduation ceremony was held on Friday, September 26, for students who completed the Refrigeration Mechanic Foundations program.
The program was established through a partnership between KVI, Coast Mountain School District 82 and the B.C Institute of Technology (BCIT).
Ross congratulated the graduates, saying they had ensured a prosperous future for themselves.
“The decision by the Haisla Nation Council to save KVI from bankruptcy was to train not just Haislas but all students in the region in preparation for industrial jobs coming from Rio Tinto and the LNG industry,” said Ross.
“The partnerships I see here today between the different educational organizations is also very satisfying.”
He said while it is unfortunate that both the provincial and federal governments don’t fund private schools as much as they do public schools, the KVI board and staff had figured out a way to be self-sustaining.
KVI will also facilitate finding the graduates apprenticeship placements with local employers.
