Career days gain support in northern community

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A sense of excitement filled the air as students rushed from one career booth to the other asking questions and viewing numerous displays at Fort Chipewyan's Career Days 2000 on Feb. 22 to 24. The career days, held in conjunction with Nunee Health's 6th Annual Health and Healing conference, took place at the Athabasca Delta Community School.

Career booths included representation from Syncrude, Suncor, Fort McMurray's Keyano College, Lac La Biche's Portage College, the Athabasca Tribal Corporation, Parks Canada, Air Mikisew, Shell Canada, Treaty 8 Health Authority, Edmonton's Norquest College, Fort McMurray's Neegan Development and the Fort Smith's Aurora College and others.

"This is the fourth year for the event. I think it is excellent that students have the opportunity to participate in the health and healing workshops as well," said Blue Eyes Simpson, an organizer.

"This year we've combined both the Nunee Health and Healing workshops and Careers Days 2000. This gives the students an opportunity to attend everything. Last year the health and healing workshops were in other locations in the community so the students left school each day to attend them," she said.

Simpson said her goal is to expose people to career market trends and jobs that exist outside their own community.

"Every year we are getting a bigger response from corporate organizations who want to attend. I send out invitations before Christmas to various corporate companies. We usually invite a lot of people and see who shows up," she said.

The three-day event drew more than 50 people from out of town and about 50 to 75 of the students from Grades 6 to12 visiting the booths. Several community members also checked out the displays.

"I think that it is excellent for the children to be aware of what jobs are out there, what they can accomplish," said Christina Simpson, systems analyst with Syncrude Canada. "I guess the main thing is that they have a chance. As long as they have a dream, they can try to attain it. It may be a difficult trail but they could accomplish what they set out to do. I think that it is fantastic the way the school and organizers have come through to show that there are people out there that are not living in the community, but have succeeded in different types of fields - medical, science, writing and other fields," she said.

Simpson, a member of the Miksew Cree First Nation, believes young people should complete their schooling.

"Going back as an adult student is very difficult. It is no longer just you and your studies that are your main concern anymore, you might have other things to worry about. As a single parent it's all the responsibilities that go with it," she said.

But she believes it is never too late to go back.

"However, I myself was out of the school system for 17 years before I returned. It was a difficult trail when I went back, but it can be manageable as long as you have a dream. As long as you want to work hard you can do it," she said.

Local community businesses such as Fort Chipewyan's Tech Services, which provides the community with electrical, plumbing and carpentry services, Chip Child Development, which houses the local daycare and other programs, the Fort Chipewyan Rangers, the RCMP, and Parks Canada also had booths at the school.

"I think it is pretty good. I think that it opens a lot of doors for the young generation here in Fort Chip," said Paul Tuccaro, Jr., an apprentice at Tech Services.

"For myself, I was tired of living the way I was living. I needed an education in order to be what I wanted to be. I couldn't do it without an education so I went back to school. It might be hard at times but it makes you stronger, a better person. Don't give up. Keep going. In the end it pays off," he said.