FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2020, Vancouver, BC - This fall, Concert Properties raised $100,000 from industry partners to support British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Trades Discovery students in need. The grassroots fundraising campaign took the place of the annual Concert Charity Golf Tournament, which would have raised donations for BCIT students (and students at other trades training institutions across Canada) through tournament participation, but was cancelled this year due to the pandemic.
“It is our annual mission to raise funds for trades training, be champions of trades students and raise awareness of the transformative power of an applied education”, says Brian McCauley, President & Chief Executive Officer of Concert Properties. “Despite not being able to host our annual charity golf tournament to raise funds, Concert and our generous supporters were able to meet our fundraising goal for BCIT’s Trades Discovery students, an outstanding achievement considering the current landscape and challenges arising from COVID-19.”
“This is truly exceptional,” says Kathy Kinloch, President, BCIT. “Despite a global pandemic, students will continue to be able to access trades training through your support this year, the 21st year in a row. On behalf of BCIT, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Concert Properties and your generous partners.”
The donations will go directly toward supporting students pursuing skilled trades at BCIT, including providing grants to students who successfully complete the Trades Discovery Program and providing entrance grants to Trades Discovery graduates who go on to register for a Trades Program at BCIT.
Because of Concert and its partners, BCIT students can focus more on their studies and less on their finances, making it easier for them to go on to become fully qualified electricians, trade certified plumbers, metal fabricators, refrigeration technicians, heavy equipment mechanics, security alarm installers, ironworkers, and more.
“I used to be a baker before I started the Trades Discovery program at BCIT,” says Jackie Smith, BCIT Trades Discovery Alumna and Journeyperson Plumber. “It’s intimidating being a woman trying to get into a trade, especially when you’ve never picked up a hammer or a drill. Through Trades Discovery I was able to feel comfortable and confident in my decision, and with the donation from Concert Properties I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about my finances during my career change.”
Concert’s commitment to supporting students through philanthropy not only provides BCIT learners with financial support, it also affirms students’ decisions to pursue skilled trades, recognizes their resilience, and empowers them to succeed.
“These donations have had an incredible impact upon the awareness of how rewarding and satisfying a trades career can be,” says Wayne Hand, Dean, School of Construction and the Environment at BCIT.
In the 1990s, Concert Properties brought together leaders from the trades sector to raise funds for the establishment of the Trades Discovery Program at BCIT. Since then, Concert and their partners have continued to donate the proceeds from their annual Concert Golf Tournament in support of BCIT students, with an incredible $1.6 million raised to date.
With trades training students in direct need of financial help now more than ever, BCIT is grateful to Concert Properties, and its partners, for their dedication to the success of its students.
Video link: https://youtu.be/ds-_lRJqvrM
About Concert Properties
Founded in 1989, Concert is active in developing rental apartments, condominium homes and seniors’ lifestyle 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, and is proud of its long history of supporting trades training across Canada.
About British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
Empowering people. Shaping BC. Inspiring global progress.
For more than 50 years, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) has been training the experts, innovators, and professionals who shape our economy – across BC and around the world. With five campuses and over 50,000 students enrolled each year, BCIT is one of BC’s largest post-secondary institutes. Through its unique applied education model, students gain the technical skills, real-world experience, and problem-solving ability needed to embrace complexity and lead innovation in a rapidly changing workforce. The BCIT curriculum is developed through close consultation with industry and delivered by instructors who have direct, hands-on experience in their fields.
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Media Contacts:
John Corry
Director, Communications
Concert Properties
604-812-1370
JCorry@ConcertProperties.com
Amy Chen
Media & Communications Specialist
British Columbia Institute of Technology
T: 604.431.4938 | C: 778.384.7245
achen202@bcit.ca