Correlieu Secondary School Principal Dennis Hawkins Bogle , Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes and students – photo courtesy Kim Hayhurst

Quesnel, B.C. – Shoulder Tappers, a provincial program aimed at connecting students with skills training and mentorship in northern B.C., has been expanded.

Announced yesterday at Quesnel’s Correlieu Secondary School, the Province is providing $1.3 million and Northern Development Initiative Trust is providing $3.6 million over five years.

“This is really expanding something that northeast B.C. had been doing for around the last 10 years through the Northern Opportunities program,” said Education Minister Mike Bernier.

“This is expanding now to 15 school districts (from 3). So I think it will be beneficial for all of our students in the North.”

Shoulder Tappers work closely with school districts, the Industry Training Authority, the Career Education Society, industry and other organizations to help students benefit from exposure to trades, technical training and more.

“Shoulder Tappers are really career coordinators in the school districts that will be able to work with the students,” said Bernier. “So whether it’s technical, vocational, academic, we want to make sure that those questions are answered and the partnerships are made.”

Shoulder Tappers is now working in the following school districts: Peace River North, Peace River South, Fort Nelson, Quesnel, Haida Gwaii, Prince Rupert, Bulkley Valley, Prince George, Coast Mountains, Stikine, Nechako Lakes Nisga’a, Cariboo-Chilcotin, Gold Trail and Central Coast. Combined, these districts educate more than 45,000 students.

Along with providing the proper mentorship and training, Bernier acknowledges the program is also a way to keep students in the North.

“Well that’s also a big part of this,” he says. “You know, as we say, if we can educate and train our students in the North, a lot of the job opportunities obviously are planning to be here so we want to make sure our students are ready for these jobs of tomorrow.”