Business and community leaders learned the importance of education and bridging the gap between unemployed youth and jobs during the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce nominees luncheon for the Business Excellence Awards Wednesday.
Calling on businesses to partner with Douglas College to create practicums, Hazel Postma said the community benefits when businesses put a hand out to students.
"We absolutely need the support of the business community to give our students opportunities," said Postma, the college's associate vice-president external relations.
With a looming skilled trades shortage, Postma said it's important for Douglas College to educate the next generation of skilled workers, including nurses and social workers, which will be in high demand over the next decade.
The college is also developing a new strategic plan that will deal with issues such as a gender gap at the college, where 70% of the students at the degree-granting institution are female. "Men are sitting on the sidelines," she said, noting that white males who give post-secondary education a miss are particularly in danger of losing ground if they can't find meaningful work.
The college is hoping to bridge that gap by developing short-term applied skill programs that will appeal to men and lead directly to jobs.
"You have a real risk of not having social cohesion if you have a large per centage of unemployed white males," Postma warned.
As the keynote speaker, Postma was representing Dr. Scott McAlpine, Douglas College president who was ill and unable to make the annual Business Excellence Awards nominees luncheon during which dozens of local businesses and community organizations are recognized for their contributions to the community.
During the luncheon at the Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club in Coquitlam, the chamber announced 38 nominees in five categories. The finalists will be announced Feb. 1, 2014, at the annual chamber gala at the Red Robinson Show Theatre.
The nominees are:
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
ABC Printing Unlimited Centre
Alliance Printing
Butter Media Inc.
Coast Therapy
Express Employment Professionals
Maureen Seguin, realtor
Rocky Point Crossfit
SNAP Coquitlam
The Runner's Den
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (10-50 EMPLOYEES)
Cap's Westwood Cycle
Comensoli Foods
Healing Cedar Wellness
Home Instead Senior Care
Mardon Insurance Brokers (Coquitlam)
Port Moody Auto & Air
Troico Home Solutions
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (50+ EMPLOYEES)
Metro Motors
Rhema Health Products
Vancity (Tri-Cities Branches)
Wesgar Inc.
Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club
BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR
Anita Wilson, Coast Therapy
Kelly Hobbis, Cap's Westwood Cycle
Nic Girgulis, Boulevard Casino
Wim Vander Zalm, Art Knapp Plantland
NOT-FOR-PROFIT OF THE YEAR
Austin Heights BIA
Crossroads Hospice Society
ACCESS Youth Outreach
Port Coquitlam BIA
Tri-City Transitions
COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD
Coquitlam Express Junior A Hockey
Dean Washington, RPM Media Inc.
Greg Garrison, Mardon Insurance Brokers
Jordan Birch, Get Out of Doors Coaching
Mark Pettie, Pettie Insurance & Financial Services
Sandy & Cathy Burpee, Tri-Cities Homelessness & Housing Task Group
Susan Jarema, New Earth Marketing
