Prince George, B.C.- As the Province of B.C. spreads the word that there will be a major  gap between the number of jobs created and the number of skilled people for those jobs in the next decade, B.C.’s Research Universities have come up with a plan.

 

They have collaborated to produce what they call an “Opportunity Agenda for B.C.” and it calls on the Province  to:

1.            provide 11,000 new funded spaces in graduate, undergraduate, college and trade programs at a cost of approximately $130 million over four years;

2.            expand  student financial aid to include grants, loan reductions, and graduate scholarships at a net cost of approximately $51 million;

3.            create  an Innovate BC initiative to build on BC’s research and innovation potential, advance new opportunities and help drive economic growth

 

 “Eighty percent of the new jobs in BC require a post-secondary credential,” says George Iwama, President of the University of Northern B.C. and  Chair of the Research University Council of BC. “Economic growth is created through innovation and new ideas. That’s why the Opportunity Agenda focuses on creating new funded student spaces, improving financial aid, and ensuring BC keeps investing in research and innovation.”

 

The Opportunity Agenda for BC  was presented to the Select Standing Committee on Finance as part of the budget consultation process.