Government of Canada Provides Training and Skills Development Opportunities to Aboriginal people in Nova Scotia
SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA, July 28, 2008 — A project that will provide Aboriginal people with the training and skills development necessary to participate in employment opportunities in the resource, construction and transportation and resource-based sectors in Nova Scotia was announced today.Ms. Lynne Yelich, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, along with Chief Terrance J. Paul of the Membertou First Nation.
“The Government of Canada is taking steps to create the best educated, most skilled and most flexible work force in the world,” said Ms. Yelich. This project will offer Aboriginal people the skills they need to find and keep good quality jobs, help industry facing labour shortages and strengthen the local economy.”
The Government of Canada is contributing approximately $2.1 million through the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) program for the Unama’ki Partnership for Prosperity Project, with total joint funding for the project reaching $4.3 million over five years. The project will provide training and skills development leading to at least 150 long-term, high-skilled employment opportunities in Cape Breton benefiting Aboriginal people, families and communities.
“The people in our Aboriginal communities are a tremendous human resource and asset to the workforce in Nova Scotia”, said provincial Minister Cecil Clarke, speaking on behalf of Mark Parent, Minister of Labour and Workforce Development. “This joint strategy will help prepare more Aboriginal Nova Scotians for employment and increase their participation levels in our labour market. Following their training in essential skills, they will be able to find rewarding careers, including skilled trades, and fully participate in the economic development opportunities across Nova Scotia.”
“The Unama’ki ASEP project focuses on training our people to fill industry needs,” said Chief Terrance Paul. “This is a new Cape Breton, with a growing economy and exciting new opportunities and the Mi’kmaw people are part of this New Cape Breton. We need to identify the needs of industry and ensure that our people are trained to meet industry needs. That is what this announcement is all about; building a stronger economy and stronger communities for the Mi’kmaw of Cape Breton.”
The Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership program focuses on sustainable Aboriginal employment by providing the skills training needed to participate in economic opportunities such as northern mining, oil and gas, and fishery projects across Canada.
In 2007, the Government of Canada invested an additional $105 million to the ASEP program. When combined with the original $85 million investment, it will result in training for more than 16,000 Aboriginal people and 10,000 new jobs in and around their communities. This year, the Government of Canada committed $70 million for measures to foster Aboriginal economic development.
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This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
For further information (media only):
Lesley Harmer
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Solberg
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
Chrissy Matheson
Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Workforce Development
Office (902) 424 – 0011
Cell (902) 430 – 5063
Dan Christmas, Chair
Unama’ki Economic Benefits Steering Committee
Cell (902) 565-8011
danchristmas@membertou.ca
Owen Fitzgerald, MBA
Executive Director
Unama’ki ASEP Project
Cell: 902-565-6293
owenfitzgerald@membertou.ca
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Backgrounder
About the Unama’ki Economic Benefits Office
In January 2007, representatives of the five Cape Breton First Nation communities established a unique economic partnership – the Unama’ki Economic Benefits Steering Committee. The committee is comprised of two to three representatives from each Unama’ki community. Mr. Dan Christmas of Membertou is the Chairperson.
The goals of the Unama’ki Economic Benefits Steering Committee are to maximize the near-term economic benefits for Unama’ki communities and expand the long-term expertise and economic capacity of Unama’ki Communities and Businesses. This will result in major construction projects like the $400 million Sydney Tar Ponds Cleanup project.
The Unama’ki Partnership for Prosperity project will provide participants with eight key components to training:
Life skills- Provide ongoing training in life skills to make people more prepared to enter the workforce. Provide this basic training each year, rotating between the five Unama’ki communities.
Essential Skills- This program will help bring a persons education level up to the grade 12 level. The goal is to have 25 to 50 individuals take this education program each year.
Construction Specific Courses- This training is very specific and will to ensure that enough people are qualified to fill the job opportunities presented by the Tar Ponds Cleanup project and other similar major construction projects in the area. This would include courses for truck drivers and heavy equipment operators.
Occupation Health and Safety Training- For all construction sites this basic Occupational, Health and Safety, training is required and the communities will ensure everyone that goes through this program will receive this necessary training.
Trades Training- This would include all construction-related trades, including electrical, plumbing, welding, etc. We hope to work with the Nova Scotia Department of Education and the Nova Scotia Community College to provide some of their training within the communities and where necessary, to customize training to address the needs of the Aboriginal communities.
University Training- The priority here will be to encourage and support more aboriginal youth to enter Environmental and Engineering programs. This will involve a partnership between the Unama’ki communities, Cape Breton University and Dalhousie University. The goal would be to have one aboriginal person enter each of these programs the first year and increase this number by one each year.
On-the-Job Training- By providing attractive wage subsidies to construction companies, we hope to encourage them to hire more Aboriginal people. With the support of wage subsidies, we hope that 20 Unama’ki residents a year will obtain the valuable on- the- job training to assist them in getting long-term meaningful employment.
Aboriginal Business Development- If we create Aboriginal employers, they will hire Aboriginal employees. This will include entrepreneurial training and support and training in bidding on tenders and procurement policies. It is our intent to also enable more and easier access to capital for quality businesses.
For more information on this project and the Unama’ki Economic Benefits Office, visit www.unamaki.ca.
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