Provincial Funding Improves Selkirk Campus
The Province is investing more than $432,000 in Selkirk College for two new initiatives – one to improve energy efficiency at the Silver King campus, and one to provide spaces for 18 more students in the Electrical Entry Program, announced Advanced Education and Labour Market Development Minister Murray Coell.
“Funding improvements in energy efficiency at Selkirk College and other public institutions is an important way in which government is helping to reduce carbon emissions,” said Coell. “We’re also helping pave the way for future work on energy-related projects by funding an additional 18 students in the college’s electrical entry program, the initial program for electrical apprentices.”
“Electrical entry is Selkirk College’s most popular trades program and, as such, has had long waiting lists. With this funding, wait lists will be significantly reduced, allowing students to complete their training and join the workforce earlier,” said Kate Tognotti, Dean of the School of Industry and Trades Training.
The energy-efficiency retrofit project funding of $358,649 will include improvements to the operation of Selkirk’s Silver King campus in order to reduce greenhouse gases. Silver King is the primary delivery point for the School of Industry and Trades Training and one of several locations for Adult Basic and Continuing Education programming that will benefit from the retrofit project.
The $73,440 expansion of the electrical entry program will ensure B.C. is able to meet future skills requirements in the trades, while offering students more choices and greater access, closer to home, so they can get the skills and training they need to succeed.
By 2020, B.C. has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent, compared to 2007 levels. B.C.’s publicly funded colleges and universities are important partners in achieving government’s 2010 carbon neutral target.
Since 2001, the Province has invested more than $1.5 billion in new funding for more than 754 capital projects on post-secondary campuses around B.C., opened seven new universities, added 36,700 seats, and increased spending to post-secondary institutions by 53 per cent.
First published on March 11, 2009
