Career programs for students in School District 22. (Image credits: SD22)

By Pete McIntyre

Career programs

School district prepares students for thousands of job openings

Feb 18, 2022 | 5:00 AM

With British Columbia forecast to have one million job openings over the next decade, the Vernon School District (SD22) is making sure its programs are suited to meet that demand.

Officials with SD22’s career programs department say their goal is to help students prepare for those opportunities.

That includes providing authentic opportunities and experiences to help students build confidence and develop skills relevant to their chosen career path.

John Vance, career programs district principal, said they are working with post- secondary and community partners to provide more options for students to pursue their career paths.

“One example of a new initiative that has been developed is the Early Childhood Education Dual Credit program in partnership with Okanagan College,” said Vance.

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The department is also building bridges and resources to support students making the transition to post secondary training, including equitable opportunities for all types of learners.

“The career programs department would not be able to meet their career education goals without the support of our community partners,” said Superintendent, Dr. Christine Perkins. “These relationships are essential to being able to provide diverse opportunities that meet the needs of our local community.”

The latest labour market outlook for B.C., released earlier this month, shows nearly 80 per cent of estimated one million job openings over the next decade will require some level of post-secondary education, reflecting the changing nature of the economy.

About 63 per cent of the one million positons will be replacing people who retire. The remaining 37 per cent of jobs will be created by economic growth and the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

The government says health care, social assistance and education are sectors expected to generate some of the largest employment in services, such as counselling, child protection and community housing.