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The BC Lions Football Club is pleased to announce the extension of their partnership with Industry Training Authority (ITA) to provide a popular school program – the Lions in the House initiative. This is the second year that the Lions have partnered with ITA on this project.
Created specifically for youth in grades six through nine, the Lions in the House initiative, presented by CN Rail and supported by the Industry Training Authority, speaks to career opportunities in the skilled trades and railway safety. It focuses on the power of choice and being the best you can be. During the interactive session, BC Lions players deliver speeches on choices they have made in their lives, specifically in the fields of education and safety. Each session is also interspersed with athletic competitions that provide a unique opportunity for the students to compete against each other while teamed up with BC Lions players. Lions in the House helps participating schools build a sense of school sprit while at the same time delivering powerful messages.
Kicking off in January 2015, Lions in the House will make 25 school visits, and will travel throughout the province speaking to thousands of students.
The announcement was made at a press conference attended by BC Lions Players, trades training students, Hon. Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, Hon. Amrik Virk, Minister of Advanced Education, Hon. Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education, and ITA senior staff.
“This partnership with the BC Lions is a unique way to reach out to youth at an earlier age to get them interested in the opportunities of a career in the trades,” said Hon Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour. ““Through B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, government is working closely with industry to put B.C.’s youth first in line.”
The BC Lions organization along with their players are proud to be a part of this unique and important program that provides youth with the knowledge and awareness of the many career opportunites that are available to them in their futures.
“We couldn’t be happier to be bringing one of our most important programs, the Lions in the House initiative, back for another year,” said Jamie Taras, the BC Lions director of community relations. “We are proud to be able to bring this program to our province’s young people, because it encourages, supports and teaches them about the importance of making responsible life decisions.”
The Industry Training Authority (ITA) leads and coordinates British Columbia’s skilled trades system. ITA works with employers, employees, industry, labour, training providers and government to issue credentials, manage apprenticeships, set program standards, and increase opportunities in the trades. ITA is also a key collaborator in the provincial government’s 10 year skills training plan, the B.C. Skills for Jobs Blueprint, which sets out a plan for re-engineering our education and training system to support our growing and changing economy and help British Columbians take full advantage of the opportunities presented by these changes.