This week, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) announced a milestone of $33 million in funding towards a new state-of-the-art Trades and Technology Complex.
The Trades and Technology Complex will increase access for students pursuing a trades and technology education and career, which will help the Province of BC meet the demand for an estimated 85,000 new trades jobs expected over the next 10 years.
More than 45 BC industry leaders and individuals across a range of sectors, including development, electrical, engineering, mining and forestry, have contributed funds through BCIT’s INSPIRE Campaign, the largest fundraising campaign in the Institute’s history.
The $220 million Trades and Technology Complex will provide an adaptive, innovative, and flexible learning environment through leading-edge, energy-efficient, sustainable design.
The Complex will have capacity for 700 new full-time student spots annually, alleviating waitlists, and delivering the trades training needed to meet the labour needs of the province. The Complex will serve as a living lab where students from different disciplines–such as engineering, architecture and construction – interact, collaborate, and undertake projects together.
The Trades and Technology Complex will allow BCIT to offer significantly more in-person training and increase delivery of immersive training for specialized areas, including mass timber construction and net-zero buildings. It will also increase capacity for designing and delivering effective online training through simulation labs and sophisticated technology-enabled classrooms.
Key spaces within the Complex will include the Concert Properties Centre for Trades and Technology, the Robert Bosa Carpentry Pavilion, and the Marine and Mass Timber Workshop.
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