 Did you know that BC is the only province in Canada that doesn't require workers in the trades to be certified? As Parliamentary Secretary for Skills Training, I am excited to be leading the conversation about how we can introduce skilled trade certification to BC in a way that supports our current workforce and sets up our future economy for success. When I decided to choose a profession, I started off as an apprentice. At the end of my four-year apprenticeship, I retained my gas be fitter ticket and a plumbing ticket. What drew me towards doing an electrical apprenticeship was, honestly, I come from a family where we have to build ourselves up and I didn't really necessarily want to be in debt. I chose to complete an apprenticeship in automotive trade because I get a sense of accomplishment from working in person with people about their vehicles and things that they need and helping them to understand and feel safe on the road when they're driving. The Sheet Metal Apprenticeship Program has given me all the skills to do custom fabrication. It'll actually help me financially. Being such a young age and already in a sense making how much I already make at this age, it's actually going to be able to help me go and buy a house, get a new car. I can actually see in the future and it's actually real. BC has built a strong and effective trades training system. Yet there are currently thousands of trades workers across the province about formal recognition of their knowledge or skill levels. That's why we'll be requiring skilled trade certification for an initial 10 electrical mechanical and automotive trades. It's critical for businesses in British Columbia to know that when they hire somebody they have a certification that proves they have a skill set that's going to make that business successful. They're adoptable. They're resilient. These workers are ready for what's coming. Well, skilled trade certification really recognizes the skills involved in being a tradesperson and it really gives respect back to the trades and the people that work in that industry. Two generations of skilled trades professions will really benefit from this for a few reasons. The apprenticeship learning experience will be more enriched by having the right oversight and guidance from somebody who is highly skilled in their craft. Skilled trade certification means learning about the systems, learning about the materials that you're working with, maintaining safety, job site readiness. Additionally, we're raising the profile of skilled trade careers for what they should be seeing in our society, which is well-paying, highly skilled technical careers. This will protect the public. It will create pride in the tradespeople and is basically the best way to go. The recognition of skilled trades is really going to benefit the next generation and actually attract the next generation to becoming skilled trades puts the respect back in and that will lead to better jobs, better treatment of the workers and better salaries. You have a feeling that you know you can get the job done. You can make the business you work for successful. You build literally British Columbia. You're going to make a decent living for your family, for your community. My dreams can now actually be reality. I just feel I felt accomplished. I felt like I'm someone in the world now and I felt like you know what I've worked so hard towards this and now I've done it.