Delivering skills to First Nations.A pilot program is underway in almost 30 First Nation communities in the northwest to determine if more apprenticeship apprenticeship, system of learning a craft or trade from one who is engaged in it and of paying for the instruction by a given number of years of work. The practice was known in ancient Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, as well as in modern Europe and to some extent certification can be completed using distance education. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Earlier in March of 2007, Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board (SLAAMB) received a grant from Human Resources The fancy word for "people." The human resources department within an organization, years ago known as the "personnel department," manages the administrative aspects of the employees. Social Development Canada The Department of Social Development, also referred to as Social Development Canada, was from Dec. 2003 to Feb. 2006 the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for developing and implementing social policies involving families with children, disabled for Aboriginal Apprenticeship Research. The goals were for First Nation trade workers to achieve their designation and certification through a three-year pilot program at the Centre for Aboriginal Apprentice Research (CAAR CAAR Centre for Accounting and Auditing Research CAAR Combat After Action Report CAAR Cataract, Autosomal Recessive, Early-Onset, Pulverulent CAAR Consortium of Automotive Aftermarket Retailers (UK) CAAR Committee Against Academic Repression ). Some trades people are gaining on-the-job experience through two new Sault sault n. A waterfall or rapids. [Obsolete French, from Old French, leap, waterfall; see somersault. Lookout construction projects worth over $1 million each: The Meno-Ya-Win Health Centre and the other a hostel. Before the students could be placed, however, they underwent a series of challenging exams, challenging in that the exams were in English and their native tongue is Oji-Cree, so there were translation barriers said Bob Bruyere, SLAAMB's coordinator. Some of the students were already in the workforce as apprentice electricians and carpenters but comprehension of math, particularly algebra algebra, branch of mathematics concerned with operations on sets of numbers or other elements that are often represented by symbols. Algebra is a generalization of arithmetic and gains much of its power from dealing symbolically with elements and operations (such as , on paper tended to be a bit of a challenge for many, he said. "These students have been out of school for a number of years as well." As a result the testing marks indicated many of the students required tutoring, so SLAAMB adjusted the curriculum to add an extra six-hours-a week of math to the program. When the CAAR program began, an estimated 78 participants enrolled with two students reaching domestic and rural journeyman electrician designation, three journeyman carpenters and eight carpenter apprentices, five labourers, two heavy equipment operators, one job site superintendent trainee and one project manager trainee working at Sioux construction sites. Now, more than 300 First Nation people are registered in the pilot program and are working or have worked on their tutoring or pre-apprenticeship employment studies. They are waiting to jump in with a company as a labourer or apprentice. The challenge is most of the students don't want to leave their communities, says Glen Drewes, business manager with the International Brotherhood Electrical Workers Local 402 out of Thunder Bay Thunder Bay, city (1991 pop. 113,946), SW Ont., Canada, on Thunder Bay inlet of Lake Superior. The city was created in 1970 by the amalgamation of the twin cities of Fort William and Port Arthur and two adjoining townships. . He and Bruyere have met to determine what kind of education can be delivered to remote communities using a pilot program for line maintenance workers. Although there are many more programs that can be delivered by CAAR, this particular one is of interest to dozens of First Nation communities. Electrical technicians often have to fly into remote communities to turn the break switch back on after an electrical surge. This can cost $10,000, Drewes says. Some communities have diesel generators A diesel generator is the combination of a diesel engine with an electrical generator (often called an alternator) to generate electric energy. Diesel generators are used in places without connection to the power grid or as emergency power-supply if the grid fails. , while others have wind, solar, or co-generation power. The intent will be for tutors to educate students in the community's respective energy source, but they will not obtain designation or certification, unless they obtain the academic portion of the training. Course delivery is done through Confederation College Confederation College is a provincially funded community college located in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1967, and has area campuses in Dryden, ON, Fort Frances, ON, Geraldton, ON, Kenora, ON, Marathon, ON and Sioux Lookout, ON. distance education operations. Bruyere said more than 15 trade unions are in contact with SLAAMB to establish a working relationship to place or employ as many First Nation skilled trade students as they can. Moreover, the program has become nationally recognized as other areas of Canada are eager to adopt new strategies for First Nation skills development. www.lakeheadu.ca By KELLY LOUISEIZE Northern Ontario Business Northern Ontario Business is a Canadian magazine, which publishes monthly in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. The magazine covers business news and issues in Northern Ontario. |
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