Desmand King moved from Manitoulin Island, Ontario, to British Columbia when his mother relocated for work in 1996. It was after relocating to BC that he started a career driving trucks and operating cranes in the trucking industry. Desmand has always wanted to become a professional video game designer so after a decade in the … Read more
Continuing on the success of the Indigenous Internship Program’s inaugural year, Clear Seas is launching the 2022 edition of this important educational initiative, in collaboration with Mitacs and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). “The program is intended to build capacity within Indigenous communities by providing opportunities for the students to connect with the … Read more
Like many students, BCIT alumnus Curtis Wright says he wasn’t always sure of the career path he wanted to take: “In the late ‘90s, everyone was talking about the dot-com boom and websites and computers. I remember [high school] teachers specifically telling me not to go into trades.’” Following this advice, Curtis enrolled in computer … Read more
The impact of the railway industry on the Canadian economy can’t be downplayed. Over $320 billion worth of products are transported each year—and here in BC, those railways are increasingly being operated by Indigenous youth. Rail companies in BC have been looking for ways to bring in new talent as large segments of their workforce … Read more
BCIT is pleased to announce a $450,000 donation from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, in conjunction with Seaspan and SRY Rail, to fund trades and technology-related training for 100 Indigenous students. This funding will form the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation Open Arms Project Expansion. “We are very excited for this new donation in support of … Read more
Chelsea Barron has an angel. Her name was Angelina. She hunted on horseback, and was a residential school survivor and fierce mother of nine children. Angelina was her grandmother and is a driving inspiration in Chelsea’s life. “My grandmother was barely 20 years old when she decided to leave the reservation,” Chelsea says, recalling stories … Read more
Savannah Minoose-Erasmus is happy to be doing a job she enjoys—and making a difference, too. “We’re all really invested in our work,” says Savannah, 24, who recently completed her Broadcast and Online Journalism Diploma at BCIT. “It’s not just a job.” Upon graduating in May 2020, she was immediately hired as a Project Coordinator with the … Read more
Rolling green valleys, rivers teeming with rainbow trout, and roaming moose characterize this northeastern Canadian jewel—the Peace River Region. It has been home and life to generations of Indigenous peoples in British Columbia. It is also where BCIT alumna Mae Whyte puts her passion for both environmental conservation and community building into meaningful action. “I … Read more
“I’d like to see our people get an opportunity to live a better life, to be able to take care of their families,” says Brandon Darbyshire-Joseph, an Indigenous BCIT Ironworking alumnus. “I’m a big believer that every generation can do better.” Brandon’s passion for creating positive change was forged from a family history pitted with … Read more
After feeling burnt out from being a professional cook for 15 years, BCIT Welding Foundation program graduate Victoria Dupuis was unsure of what her future held. Victoria did not graduate high school traditionally, and felt that her options were limited. “The reason why I didn’t graduate on time was because I needed to work full … Read more