Job Title: Trades Coordinator - Inclusive Post-Secondary Education

Hours: 30 hours/week

Compensation: $54,600 salary, Municipal Pension Plan & Extended Health Benefits paid by the employer

Location: Remote based in B.C.; travel required

Reports to: Co-Directors

Overview:

Inclusive Post-Secondary Education is increasingly recognized as a vital pathway for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve meaningful employment and valued citizenship. STEPS Forward is a provincial organization dedicated to advancing inclusive post-secondary education. As part of its commitment to expanding inclusive post-secondary education opportunities, STEPS Forward is creating a Trades Coordinator position to help embed inclusive post-secondary education within mainstream trades training and broaden access to apprenticeship and employment opportunities across British Columbia

Position Summary

The Trades Coordinator will play a key provincial role in promoting, coordinating, and expanding access to trades programs and apprenticeship pathways for students. This role will work directly with post-secondary institutions, employers, Skilled Trades BC, and community stakeholders to increase awareness, build partnerships, and support the development of inclusive, trades training and employment opportunities.

Key Objectives

• Increase enrollment of students in trades programs at post-secondary institutions (PSI's) across B.C.
• Raise awareness of inclusive trades education among students, families, PSIs, unions, industry partners, and employers.
• Connect students to employer sponsors offering tailored apprenticeship opportunities that build on the students' strengths and training.

Key Responsibilities

1. Outreach and Building Awareness

• Coordinate and lead awareness campaigns, workshops, and information sessions to engage students, families, and industry partners.
• Support facilitators at current initiatives to collaborate with trades programs and links to apprenticeship and employment.

2. Partnership and Capacity Building

• Collaborate with Deans of Trades and enrollment teams at PSIs to develop inclusive registration processes.
• Build relationships with trades programs that are including students and share promising practices across institutions.
• Establish and expand partnerships with new PSIs across the province.

3. Recruitment and Training Coordination

• Work with campus facilitators to understand trades program schedules and align student recruitment accordingly.
• Support the identification of trades programs that match student interests at participating institutions.

4. Apprenticeship and Employer Engagement

• Collaborate with Skilled Trades BC Apprenticeship Advisors, facilitators, and campuses to identify inclusive employer sponsors.
• Support employers in developing modified apprenticeships tailored to each student's training and strengths.
• Ensure students are registered apprentices and included in the apprenticeship systems.

5. System Navigation and Funding

• Liaise with Skilled Trades BC to ensure student seats are funded.
• Identify scholarships, bursaries, and financial aid to support students with tuition and equipment costs.

Qualifications and Skills

• Strong understanding of B.C.'s trades training and apprenticeship systems, including Skilled Trades BC.
• Proven ability to build partnerships with employers, post-secondary institutions, and community organizations.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, including comfort with public speaking and facilitation.
• Strong organizational skills to manage recruitment, timelines, and multiple stakeholder relationships.
• Commitment to equity, accessibility, and inclusive practice.

Preferred Experience

• Familiarity with Inclusive Post-Secondary Education models and inclusive trades training.
• Experience with outreach or values based awareness campaigns.
• Established network in the B.C. trades, post-secondary, or inclusion sectors.