Literacy Alberni Society has received a $340,000 grant to teach new online training programs.

Up to 30 eligible British Columbians will get skills training to prepare them for jobs as web designers and developers in this new Community and Employer Partnership (CEP) project from the B.C. government.

“Demand for web developers is expected to outgrow other occupations in the coming years,” said Nicholas Simons, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “This unique certification and skills training project for eligible participants will prepare them for jobs in B.C.’s growing tech industry.”

Literacy Alberni will use its $340,000 grant to provide participants with online training, including project management, design principles and WordPress, over two intakes.

“Our program is an incredible opportunity for our community,” said Lance Boer, project lead and essential skills instructor for Literacy Alberni.

“As the current pandemic has caused businesses to more heavily focus on their online operations, the need for web developers in our region and throughout B.C. has grown,” Boer said. “Because our program is entirely virtual, participants will be able to learn this new set of career skills during the pandemic from the safety of their homes.”

Participants will receive six weeks of local work experience and two weeks employment support to help in their job search.

Graduates will receive front end web developer certification, which signifies an individual has mastered program skills and is prepared to work in the field. Other certification courses include privacy and information sharing, awareness and prevention of harassment and HubSpot platform consulting.

Full-time, online learning for the first intake started Dec. 21, 2020, and project activities run through to Sept. 17, 2021. Anyone interested in finding out about the second intake, which runs Feb. 8 to Nov. 5, 2021, or other CEP projects, can contact their local WorkBC centre.

Project funding is provided through the Project-Based Labour Market Training stream of WorkBC’s CEP. CEP’s aim is to increase employment and work experience opportunities for unemployed British Columbians through leveraging local community partnerships, shared information, technology and innovative practices.

“Literacy Alberni has been working in the Alberni Valley and West Coast since 2004 to promote and support literacy, education, language and settlement activities, and our local communities have benefited a great deal,” said Josie Osborne, MLA for Mid Island-Pacific Rim.

“This new project will give participants skills, confidence and the qualifications to build exciting new careers.

“I wish them all the best in their studies.”