Bands try something new

Page 5

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is taking a new approach to providing technical training to the province's First Nations, bringing both training and the technology needed to use it out to the communities and letting the communities call the shots.

The goal of the training program is to help Aboriginal communities reap economic benefits from their resources. What makes this program different is that the training takes place within the community and is designed around the specific goals of the community, explained John English, dean of BCIT's School of Construction and the Environment.

Training can also be tailored to the specific learning requirements or challenges of the students, although all students taking part will still have to meet national standards for the trade in which they're being trained.

"This is a big change for an institution like BCIT, because we've tended to say, 'Look, here's our program. Here's what it takes to get into it and it's up to you to get there.' And I think the tactic is fundamentally different in the sense that we're saying we'll actually take some responsibility here in helping you get there. And if that means that we have to advise you on some preparatory material or we have to adjust the way we teach to accommodate that, we will do that," English said.

As the program gets off the ground, communities will be able to access training in carpentry, forestry and wood products, the three areas where organizers feel the programs will meet with the most success. In the future, English hopes they can include other areas such as piping and electrical.

This new program allows BCIT to develop working relationships with First Nations, something that up until now hasn't happened much. What it does for First Nations is give them the trained workforce they need to allow them to keep more of the money being made through the exploitation of their resources.

One truly unique feature of the training program is that not only does BCIT provide participating communities with training for their members, but it also provides the infrastructure to be able to put their newly trained members to work.

"Let's take the forest area," English explained. "We're not only just teaching skills on saw milling, we're also delivering a piece of technology called a community kiln to the community as part of that capacity building. So that not only do they gain the skills, they also have the hardware on the ground to use."

English admitted providing technology along with training is an unusual role for the learning institute to play.

"We thought, why would we separate them? Why don't they come together? Because we can go in and teach skills-and this is what I think post-secondary institutions have done-and then they walk away. And alternatively, somebody with the technology comes in and drops it off at the door and again-this is a phenomenon that is not unique to Aboriginal communities but it certainly is a big issue in Aboriginal communities-they drop off that piece of hardware and they walk away. But when do they come together? I think they have to come to the community together in order to be meaningful and you actually get a good chance at deriving an economic benefit from it."

The cost of technology such as the community kiln is covered up front by BCIT, with the idea that the expense will eventually be recouped through its profitable operation.

In addition to the economic benefits they hope to realize once training is complete and technology is in place, communities will also reap benefits during training. A couple of training programs have already been run, including a carpentry program with the Seabird Island First Nation and a forestry program at Boston Bar First Nation. During the carpentry program, rather than have students practice their new skills in the classroom, they went out and rebuilt one of the community's main buildings.

"The ultimate goal is t give them the ability to manage their own house construction and meet that need locally," English said. "So, for example, when we deliver in Port Simpson, I hope we will be delivering there this fall, they'll be actually building houses and community infrastructure. These instructional things are not just going to be in a classroom or a shop or whatever. They're going to be tangible results."

English said BCIT's new approach to training has been well received by the communities he's met with, but he's careful about not getting too far ahead of himself.

"To be honest ... we are still in the early stages of it and we're being very careful with how we do it. I think the other principle is that we're in this for the long run," he said.

"I think it's a three-to-five-year window before we can sit back and say, 'Hey, this is yielding some pretty good results.' But by taking it a notch at a time, it gives us a chance to step back and make sure that we're not getting off the track."