New Program to Retrain Forestry Workers

Friday, February 06, 2009 04:00 PM

Prince George, B.C. - A new program to help forestry workers aquire new skills was announced in Prince George today. It's called APT, or the Assessing, Planning, and Training Program. APT was launched with $2 million in funding from the Provincial and Federal Governments in conjunction with United Steelworkers Local 1-424.

Prince George Peace River MP Jay Hill says APT is meant to help those workers and families affected by the economic downturn.

"There's going to be a lot of folks affected by it. A lot of people that have worked in one industry, indeed, in one mill all their lives are going to be looking for other options and be looking for retraining. So that's why there's a big focus on working with organizations like the United Steelworkers."

Hill says it doesn't appear that the downturn in forestry will end anytime soon, but says his government wants to see affected workers pursue retraining opportunities. He says the APT pilot with the Steelworkers is one example.

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Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 04:00 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Harbinger on February 6 2009 7:56 PM

Retraining to do what? Be specific. Becoming a "retail associate" doesn't count.

Posted by: The_grandinquisitor on February 6 2009 7:58 PM

It's too little, too late. Its not just forestry biting the dust. Only two million...what a joke...and their tossing hundreds of millions at the olympics....
Can we just cancel the olympics?

Posted by: The_grandinquisitor on February 6 2009 7:59 PM

opps I meant "they're".

Posted by: woodwoman on February 6 2009 8:16 PM

Not sure what books Jay or Pat Bell are reading - but both have different views when the recession will end. $2 million for retraining or the Olympic village $1 billion - so what are the priorities - people or a glamour show!! Can sure tell what side of the fence these jokers sit on - not for the average forestry worker!!!

Posted by: MrPG on February 6 2009 8:47 PM

Man, we sure complain a lot around here.

Posted by: NMG on February 6 2009 8:47 PM

The Olympics are an easy scapegoat and while I'm not a fan of hosting them either, it's time to be honest. Repeat after me, "The Olympics are going ahead and there isn't a damn thing that will stop them". There is no point complaining about it any longer. It's like being peeved that some guy dented your car door in a parking lot 3 years ago. It's water under the bridge and there is nothing that can or will be done to reverse it.

As for the retraining, I would hope that it's up to the people needing it as to what they want to do. There are literally hundreds and thousands of different career choices out there for people to look into. Some will pay more than a mill job ever would and some won't. Some will be in demand whatever happens in the economy and some won't. I hope all of the workers that need it can take advantage of the programs and come out in good shape.

Posted by: RUEZ on February 6 2009 9:05 PM

MrPG I don't know if you noticed but we're in the midst of a recession. People have a lot on their minds.

Posted by: fenceman on February 6 2009 10:23 PM

Estimated cost for security for the 2010 Olympics is estimated at 400million to 1 Billion dollars.
I have seen tender posting to house and meals for military personal at two locations. One in a gravel pit near Whistler and the other at the armory in Richmond. Estimated tender budgeting 32million. Any company from Canada, USA, or Mexico are allowable to summit tender pricing

The RCMP also have a tender request out for the housing and meals of some 5000 RCMP members on a ship that will be anchored in Vancouver harbor. No estimate cost shown.

You are tell me we can not use some of the unemployed workers to do a good portion of this work?? Come on how hard is it to check the bottom of a car for a bomb with a mirror or to taser a tourist because they can not speak English or French?

So about ranting but Olympics is such a waste of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Posted by: gus on February 6 2009 11:39 PM

Retraining to do what?

Health care

Social services

Government

Police

Firefighters

Sales for distributors (not in retail stores)

Teaching

Environmental auditors

Maintenance

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1858773,00.html

Posted by: enviro on February 7 2009 12:22 AM

Retrainig?

Man, there are still lots of positions available provincially to run and become an NDP MLA. So what are people complainingg about?

Posted by: gar on February 7 2009 12:33 AM

This is so simple. Train them to be carpenters and build more prisons----in the artic. Capture all the bad guys, send them up there, take all their goodies, sell them, train more carpenters. Soon all you have left is good guys. Sounds smart to me.

May the polar bears be our prison guards!

Posted by: gus on February 7 2009 4:21 AM

When Britain did that and sent everyone to Australia, they created a country.

Posted by: beesknees on February 7 2009 5:54 AM

"Hill says it doesn't appear that the downturn in forestry will end anytime soon..." - finally some realization from this MP. Although that could be an incorrect statement. He's realized for some time that this "downturn" will not end soon, and once a few more of his sort are thinking along those lines, and start working at providing solutions, rather than argue along party lines about whose ideas are better or worse, will we see some action of the sort that gives us confidence.

Till then, be prepared for lots of rhetoric, and a further spiral downwards.

Posted by: MrPG on February 7 2009 9:33 AM

Ruez, I notice that people complain whether we're in a recession or not.

To the Olympic-haters, forget about it. We're committed. It's happening. Deal with it.

Posted by: Denaljo on February 7 2009 12:40 PM

Nobody 'hates' the Owelympics = just the BILLIONS the taxpayers are on the hook for. Except Gordos contractor friends I guess.