Opening the door to Aboriginal employment

Page 36

On June 11, a press conference was held at the Hotel Fort Garry to release a study done by the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Projects Steering Committee titled Aboriginal Participation in Apprenticeship: Making It Work.

The report addresses the need for skilled workers within the Canadian workforce, the low participation of Aboriginal people in apprenticeship programs because of the lack of awareness of opportunities and the way training is funded, structured and delivered, and the need to combat high unemployment levels in the Aboriginal community.

"In spite of a booming economy and the exponential growth of the Aboriginal population, Aboriginal peoples occupy fewer and fewer positions in the labor force," said Gordon McDevitt, assistant deputy minister, department of Education, Government of Yukon, and a member of the steering committee. "This report clearly demonstrates how apprenticeship training can help Aboriginal people to succeed at the same time as it helps employers address acute skills shortages."

The report contains many examples of Aboriginal people who have succeeded in training, in spite of the many obstacles they faced.

Felix Spence, 28, of the Pimicikamak Cree Nation (formerly known as Cross Lake First Nation) in Manitoba, was able to obtain his journeyman carpenter qualifications in 10 months, compared to the four years it usually take to apprentice. He discovered he already possessed some of the skills necessary to complete his program. According to Spence, who resides in Thompson, Man., his exposure to new techniques in construction and carpentry has allowed him to grow beyond what his job entails.

"Before I started in the program I was receiving job offers within my community. Since I have become qualified, I've had more people approaching me with special projects," said Spence. "I'm pretty proud of the work that I do. People pass on the word of the work that I'm capable of doing. That eliminates barriers. They come and see me personally."

That reputation goes even further, as Spence has been given projects to complete without having to submit tenders. This frees up the time that would normally be spent on bidding for projects and allows both the employer and Spence to get down to business. That, of course, increases his responsibility, but that is all part of the plan.

"A journeyman carpenter has a more responsible role in the construction of a project. We are trained to read building codes and other statutes that pertain to the construction of a building." And with increased responsibility comes financial rewards.

The study found that apprenticeship training is similar in many respects to traditional patterns of learning for Aboriginal peoples.

"Apprenticeship training not only provides an opportunity for Aboriginal peoples to earn while they learn, it is a model of training that Aboriginal communities themselves have found is particularly suited to the way they learn," said Wayne Erasmus, employed by ATCO Electric Ltd. in the area of Aboriginal relations.

"In a nutshell, apprenticeship training is a way of learning and passing on understanding and wisdom," said Erasmus. "The barriers come up with cultural differences. By talking to the old people they were able to grasp the concept and see that it was in line with traditional ways of learning. With their support, positive things are happening."

The steering committee has suggested a number of initiatives that will "allow Aboriginal communities to take charge of their own futures, permitting them to pursue stable, rewarding careers," Erasmus said.

With the population explosion in the Aboriginal community in Canada, Erasmus realizes there needs to be ways to combat the problem of chronic unemployment among his people. But he does acknowledge that it will not happen overnight.

"The Elders told me that change takes a long time. You may not see it and our children may not see it but their children might. We have to be responsible and implementpositive change through awareness and understanding in both worlds."

Business too has a responsibility, according to Erasmus.

"Industry has to be involved. The interest is there and our goal is to reach presidents and CEOs so those companies will be aware of, not only this report, but of how skilled our people really are," he said.

"This has to be done for business reasons, otherwise there will be no apprenticeship training programs. I like this approach, as it is a long-term plan. If you look at the money that has been spent on social programs before, it just hasn't worked. With this plan we can have a win/win situation for both business and all Aboriginal people."