Youth explore career options at conference

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From March 10 to 12, Metis youth from across the province met in Saskatoon to learn more about career options and job market skills at the 2006 Metis Education, Employment and Training Youth Conference.

Young people from 15 to 29 took part in the event, perusing displays at a career fair, learning about Metis culture and looking deeper into workforce and community issues.

According to the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, unemployment rates for Aboriginal workers are three times higher than the national average. The hope of organizers was to use the conference to get more Metis youth into the workforce. The conference was sponsored by Metis Employment and Training of Saskatchewan Inc. (METSI) and funded by 13 federal and provincial agencies.

To kick-start the weekend, a career fair at the Prairieland Park Trade Centre brought together 50 employers, educational institutes and organizations from around the province to provide youth with information they need to make rewarding career choices.

"I want to get into the RCMP," said Dallas Fiddler, who attends Mount Royal high school in Saskatoon.

Travis Becker had something else in mind for his future.

"I'm looking into the trades," said the Evan Hardy student. "I looked at the Saskatchewan Building Trades display. They're unionized. They have everything I want as a worker."

On day two of the conference, workshops held throughout the day at the Ramada Inn covered topics like substance abuse, racism and gangs. In other sessions designed to enhance Metis culture, students giggled nervously as they tried their hand-and feet-at the Metis Jig, Metis fiddling and basic beading as well as the Michif language.

Covering all aspects of life after high school, organizers included information workshops on building a strong resume, portfolio development, apprenticeship and entrepreneurship, and sessions on careers in the armed forces and local law-enforcement options like the RCMP. The topics of technology, tourism and healthcare were also touched on in afternoon sessions.

During the final day of the conference participants were taken on tours of the Kelsey campus of the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology and the University of Saskatchewan.