On March 6, the Vancouver School Board (VSB) was proud to celebrate 74 Career Programs graduates. All the graduates chose youth apprenticeship as part of their transition from secondary school to the working world. 

Ryan Fullerton, district principal for VSB’s Career Programs, congratulated the young apprentices on building pathways toward successful futures. 

“We celebrate these graduates’ resilience, determination and commitment to growth. Whether or not they pursue Red Seal certification, they’ve gained skills that will serve them for life. Skills that open doors, build confidence and help shape a future filled with opportunity,” says Fullerton. 

In recognition of their hard work, all the graduates received a $1000 award or scholarship dedication toward their learning. 

VSB Board chair Victoria Jung presented the honours. Joining her was the Honourable Jessie Sunner, minister of post-secondary education and future skills and the Honourable Christine Boyle, minister of housing and municipal affairs, as well as Sunita Dhir, Parliamentary Secretary for International Credentials and Shelley Gray, CEO of SkilledTradesBC. 

VSB associate superintendent, Maureen McRae-Stanger also extended her heartfelt congratulations to the graduates and thanked those who supported the students on their journey. 

“We extend our sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Education and Child Care, Ministry of Post-Secondary Education & Future Skills, SkilledTradesBC, Employers and Trade Unions, Career Programs staff, school counsellors, school and alternative programs staff and families for their invaluable support in guiding and empowering these students,” says McRae-Stanger. “Their collective efforts have played a vital role in student success.” 

Some facts about this year’s recipients: 

• The recipients came from16 different schools and two alternative programs 
• 63 of the recipients work in construction, with 37 of those 63 working as apprentice electricians 
• 11 are working in transportation or service trades
• One recipient is British Columbia’s first-ever youth apprentice in the funeral director trade 
• One recipient is an apprentice professional cook working at a Michelin-recommended restaurant 
• Collectively, they’ve worked more than 140,000 apprenticeship hours 
• Together, the group has earned an estimated $3.2 million in the workforce 

Congratulations to all the recipients! Your futures look bright.