Ministry of Advanced Education
VICTORIA – British Columbia is now developing 20 open, online textbooks specifically for post-secondary skills training and technical programs.
"British Columbia's open textbooks are already being used by students all over the province who are studying science, arts and business," said Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk. "Now students taking skills and technical training programs like electrical, oil and gas, tourism, nursing and others will also be able to get some of their textbooks online for free, saving hundreds of dollars. This is another way we're matching education with jobs, ensuring students are getting affordable, accessible training to move from learner to earner."
The open textbooks for skills training and technical programs support the priorities in B.C.'s Skills for Jobs Blueprint to align training with the labour market, and a total of 20 open textbooks will be developed for:
* High-demand foundational trades programs, such as carpentry, pipefitting, electrical and plumbing.
* Oil and gas programs supporting the LNG industry.
* Tourism and hospitality programs.
* Adult basic education programs linked to giving students essential skills for trades and technical training.
* Mining-related programs.
* Health-care programs, such as health-care assistant, practical
nursing and registered nursing.
The online textbooks will be developed based on an open call for proposals, and will be available online starting September 2015.
The 20 online textbooks for skills training and technical programs are in addition to the 19 made available in 2013 and the 21 others expected to be ready by September 2014 for 40 highly enrolled first-year and second-year post-secondary subjects.