B.C. manufacturing had another strong year in 2017, adding 14,000 new jobs since December 2016. Overall, the wide-ranging sector, which is the province’s second-largest employer behind construction, has increased job growth 13% since 2014. Marcus Ewert-Johns, president for the BC Alliance for Manufacturing, said the sector flies under the radar because of its diversity, which can include everything from aerospace technology and clothing apparel to plastics and petroleum.

The Canadian dollar’s relative weakness to the U.S. greenback should have B.C. manufacturers in a stronger position than they currently are, according to the chairman of the B.C. Alliance for Manufacturing.

Refugees introduced to employers thanks to an eight-week training program run by B.C. Alliance for Manufacturing, which pairs trainees with Canadian companies. Funded by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) through the B.C. Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, the course has helped almost 100 refugees prepare for Canadian workplaces and find jobs across B.C.