A Prince George-based trucking firm has been selected to conduct training to produce more truck drivers for northern B.C. through an initiative funded by the provincial government.
Go Team Professional Training LTD., was awarded a $995,000 contract to deliver the driver training program as its commitment to the Community and Employment Partnership project announced Friday by Sheila Malcolmson, B.C. Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
“This training program will benefit up to 24 people, including Indigenous people, immigrants and young people, and help them secure long-term careers in the region,” said Laurie Dillman, who co-founded Go Team Professional Training LTD with her husband Ted.
“Our program will help participants gain the driving, safety and essential skills they need to become valuable employees for their future employers.”
In addition to 15 weeks of skills training, which includes meeting the requirement for mandatory entry-level training (MELT), program participants will get seven weeks of on-job experience from local employers and two weeks of follow-up support to help them prepare for their Class 1 driving exams.
"People in B.C. rely on professional drivers to bring supplies to our communities, yet these skills are in short supply,” said Malcolmson.
“The new training we're funding gets people the work experience and support they need to land high-demand jobs in the transportation industry.”
The first intake of professional driver apprentices happens on Monday in Williams Lake. A second intake is scheduled for Terrace, beginning Aug. 14 and the third happens Jan. 8, 2024 in 100 Mile House.
“This training has benefited me in lots of ways,” said Jordan Harris, graduate of MELT. “Being young and being given this opportunity to have this training is huge for me, and I have always loved big trucks.
“Being in this training has made me more knowledgeable about trucks and given me something to work toward to get ahead in life. It has also given me the opportunity to learn lots and make new friends in the process of gaining a bunch of great new skills that will make me successful in life and a better person.”
