The Government of British Columbia is expanding skilled trades education by adding hundreds of new training seats at Vancouver Island University and Kwantlen Polytechnic University as part of its commitment to create 5,000 new trades training spaces across the province during the 2026-27 academic year.
The additional capacity is intended to reduce wait lists for high-demand apprenticeship programs, encourage more young people to pursue careers in the skilled trades and address labour shortages in sectors supporting construction, infrastructure and industrial development.
According to the provincial government, Vancouver Island University (VIU) in Nanaimo will receive 64 new training seats, increasing its total skilled trades capacity to 1,550 seats this year.
Meanwhile, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) in Surrey will add 462 new training seats, bringing its total annual trades training capacity to 1,762 seats.
The expanded programs at KPU will support training for several occupations that are critical to residential construction, infrastructure projects and industrial operations, including:
- Construction electricians
- Industrial mechanics (millwrights)
- Plumbers
- Construction craft workers
- Parts technicians
The expansion is part of British Columbia’s Look West strategy, under which the provincial government is investing $241 million over three years to strengthen skilled trades education and help meet the province’s growing workforce needs.
