Government of Canada helping 270 First Nation peoples in M’Chigeeng region get job skills and work experience
Press Release
From: Employment and Social Development Canada
News release
July, 25 2018 M’Chigeeng, ON Employment and Social Development Canada
A strong economy depends on a strong middle class where everybody has a real and fair chance to succeed. Indigenous peoples are the fastest-growing segment of Canada’s workforce, yet they continue to be underrepresented in Canada’s workforce.
That’s why today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development announced a new project that will provide essential skills and job training to approximately 270 First Nation youth and adults in apprenticeship sectors.
The Kenjgewin Teg Education Institute (KTEI) has received federal funding under the Skills Partnership Fund (SPF), which encourages Indigenous organizations to form partnerships with governments, businesses and community organizations to provide skills training that contributes to long-term, meaningful employment for First Nation people.
KTEI’s innovative new project, Mshiigaade Miikan – The Path is Clearing, will partner with the Union of Ontario Indians and Sault College of Applied Arts & Technology to strengthen First Nation peoples’ employability opportunities in key apprenticeship sectors such as skilled trades, hospitality, tourism, and teacher education.
Today’s announcement demonstrates one way in which the Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to break down barriers for Indigenous people in Canada’s workforce. The Government is investing $2 billion over five years and over $400 million per year ongoing to create a new Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program that will help address employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Through additional programs like Student Work Placements and Canada Summer Jobs, the Government is also prioritizing high-quality paid work experience for young Indigenous students.
Quotes
“Breaking down job barriers for First Nation people helps ensure that everyone has a real and fair chance at success. It’s not just the right thing to do- it’s the smart thing to do for our economy here in Northern Ontario.”
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
“Kenjgewin Teg is embarking and preparing for a chartered path in Anishinabek education and training that will help to increase the employability and labour market readiness for 270 Anishinaabek youth and adults. The Mshiigaade Miikan project will test an innovative and collaborative approach that reconceptualises a new way of honouring, creating, sharing and teaching from a worldview that is truly Indigenous education or more specifically, Anishinaabek education.”
– Stephanie Roy, the Executive Director of Kenjgewin Teg Education Institute
Quick facts
- Over the course of 37 months, KTEI will receive a total of $4,915,189 of federal funding through the SPF program. With this funding KTEI will continue to enhance the employability and labour market readiness for Indigenous youth and adult members interested in key apprenticeship sectors such as skilled trades, hospitality, tourism, and various aspects of teacher education.
- Indigenous people in Canada represent the youngest and fastest-growing segment of the country’s population. Over the next decade, 400,000 Indigenous youth will be preparing to enter the workforce.
- The Skills and Partnership Fund receives $50 million in funding per year and to date has leveraged approximately $250 million (cash and in-kind) from partnerships since its inception.
- From April 2010 to March 2018, the SPF has served more than 34,500 Indigenous clients, which included helping over 13,000 individuals get jobs in various sectors such as natural resources, trades, health, retail and tourism, and assisting 1,703 individuals to return to school.
- The Government is working with Indigenous partners to co-develop and implement the new Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program (ISET) with the Budget 2018 investment of $2 billion over five years and over $400 million per year ongoing. The ISET Program includes increased funding, longer-term agreements, and enhanced performance measurement and takes a distinctions-based approach to better meet the needs of First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban/non-affiliated Indigenous people.
- Budget 2018 announced an investment of $448.5 million over five years to the Youth Employment Strategy. This funding will support high-quality paid work experience for young Indigenous students through the Canada Summer Jobs program.
Associated links
Contacts
Véronique Simard
Press Secretary
Office of the Hounourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
veronique.simiard@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
819-654-5611
Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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