Forestry training being offered in Revelstoke and the Shuswap

The province is committing about $750,000 to help unemployed people find forestry jobs through a paid-training program with Okanagan College.

The funding will train up to 16 people in Revelstoke and the Shuswap area.

They will be given 16 weeks of paid training in the forestry sector and 10 weeks of on-the-job work experience with local forest operators.

The program is being carried out in two groups of eight Employment Insurance-eligible participants.

“This program is a great example of what can happen when government partners with community members, employers and post-secondary providers to meet the specific needs of our regional economy,” Jim Hamilton, president of Okanagan College said in a news release.  “The students are learning valuable skills they will be able to transfer to employment opportunities well into the future.”