People looking to excel in B.C.’s growing mass-timber sector can now access more knowledge and training opportunities at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

“Mass timber is a strong, clean building technology that is at the centre of our province’s future construction blueprint,” said Jagrup Brar, minister of State for Trade, and chair of the Mass Timber Advisory Council. “Partnering with BCIT to increase our province’s catalogue of available skills training builds on the work we’ve done to create a world-class mass timber sector in B.C., and helps ensure our province has enough workers with the right skills to construct our climate-smart buildings of the future, and build more homes with mass timber.”

As part of the StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan, the province is providing BCIT with $3.3 million to create a mass timber training hub, providing expanded opportunities for people to gain new skills in the sector. Two new mass timber courses are expected to be piloted in the fall to complement BCIT’s existing training.

Once construction is complete on the new state-of-the-art trades and technology complex for the Burnaby campus, all mass timber training courses will be housed there.

Wayne Hand, Dean, BCIT’s School of Construction and the Environment
“As the largest provider of trades training in Western Canada, BCIT continues to lead delivery of industry-relevant education where it’s most needed. This investment from the Province of B.C. will empower trades professionals to upskill in the growing area of mass timber – filling a vital workforce gap.”

Delivered through strategic partnerships with industry, BCIT will continue developing new programs combining online and community-based delivery models and in-person learning. The expanded mass timber training programs will increase accessibility for professionals to be job ready, fill the current knowledge gaps in the industry and combat the skilled worker challenge in the sector.