Building a Clean Tech Workforce for the Future

British Columbia (B.C.) is home to trailblazing clean technology companies. A large, diverse and skilled workforce, together with strong support from the provincial government, have helped to fuel the sector’s success. The continued growth of the industry looks bright following a $271 million investment by the Government of B.C. toward a new Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation in Vancouver, B.C.

The centre, which will be built on the campus of Vancouver Community College, will train up to 1,400 people in several state-of-the-art careers. This will include wind turbine technicians, zero emission vehicle specialists for electric cars and a variety of other clean energy design and tech-focused careers. Construction is expected to be complete by 2027.

By investing in the centre, the government is helping to expand the future talent pipeline for world-class clean technology companies. B.C.’s clean tech companies are leaders in researching, developing and commercializing innovative new systems and projects, with six B.C. clean tech businesses on the 2023 Global Cleantech 100.

The centre complements the government’s CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, which aims to increase the number of zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales and leases in the province. B.C. was the first jurisdiction in the world to legislate a 100% ZEV sales requirement and already has the highest per capita adoption of ZEVs in North America, with 18.1% of light-duty vehicle sales in 2022.  Since 2018, CleanBC has established B.C. as a key destination for new investments and industries looking to meet the growing global demand for low-carbon products, services and technologies.

B.C. government support for the new centre is another demonstration of how British Columbia is at the forefront of green innovation and is an ideal environment for clean technology investment and partnership opportunities.

To learn more about B.C.’s competitive advantages, supportive government and centres of excellence that are helping to propel B.C.’s Clean Tech sector to new heights, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter, or contact our Trade and Investment B.C. representatives.