December 10, 2020, Vancouver, BC - Concert Properties and its partners donated $90,000 this year to support Camosun College’s “Trades for Success” programming for youth, adult and K-12 learners in communities with limited access to training providers or public post-secondary institutions. The goal of the project is to build awareness of Red Seal trades and how these career pathways lead to sustainable employment within underserved regions of British Columbia.
“Camosun’s partnership with Concert Properties through the Trades for Success program is opening doors to well-paying jobs in the trades for youth, Indigenous peoples and women,” says Sherri Bell, President of Camosun College. “Thank you to Concert Properties and your partners for your extra effort this year. Your support is helping students find success and a rewarding future in the trades.”
In April 2019, Concert Properties committed to donating $250,000 over three years to support Camosun College in expanding this program and to allow the college to offer “trades-on-the-go” programming and Red Seal trades training to youth in small communities in British Columbia.
This year, $75,000 was earmarked by Concert Properties for the Camosun partnership, but after their charitable golf tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19, their donors rallied with further support, and an additional $15,000 ($90,000 total) was raised to go towards Camosun’s Trades for Success programming this year.
“We are pleased to apply this pledge in support of the Trades and Technology Trades Development to develop innovative programming for the Trades for Success program and its students in isolated and remote communities”, says Brian McCauley, President & Chief Executive Officer of Concert Properties. “We’re particularly pleased that this funding will also help bring down the barriers for women and indigenous people seeking trades training,” McCauley adds.
Camosun’s School of Trades and Technology runs the Trades for Success program, which helps young people transition into Red Seal career pathways, opening the door to enriching and well-paying careers in the trades. It also aims to introduce sustainable building practices in communities. By leveraging local construction and building knowledge, as well as traditional Indigenous knowledge from the geographic location, tradespeople will be better able to meet the diverse challenges of building for the local climate and conditions.
In November 2020, the second cohort of students in the Trades for Success (Women in Trades) program was on site in Duncan (on the local campus of Vancouver Island University, a partner with Camosun in the delivery of both Women in Trades Training and Indigenous People in Trades Training) on Vancouver Island.
Concert Properties and Camosun College produced this video highlighting the success of their partnership and the overall program.
Video link: https://youtu.be/5jznyUKxeI0
-30-
About Camosun College
Established in 1971, Camosun is one of the largest colleges in British Columbia with campuses on the Traditional Territories of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples.
About Concert Properties
Founded in 1989, Concert is active in developing rental apartments, condominium homes and retirement communities, acquiring and developing commercial, industrial and infrastructure properties and in property management. With operations in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario and the backing of more than 200,000 Canadians represented by the union and management pension plans, Concert is committed to building strong, sustainable communities across Canada. Concert is active in the Greater Victoria area and engaged in the community as a developer and major employer of skilled trades.
Media Contacts:
John Corry
Director, Corporate Communications
Concert Properties
JCorry@ConcertProperties.com
604-812-1370
Ivan Watson
Marketing & Communications Strategist
Camosun College
watsoni@camosun.ca
250-418-0700