New government office in Labrador to help Indigenous apprentices – The Telegram
The provincial government announced funding a few weeks ago to help establish a new office in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, the Labrador Office for Indigenous and Northern Skilled Trades.
The office, led by Trades NL, is to work with the various Indigenous groups in the province to help promote and mentor apprentices.
Darin King, executive director of Trades NL, which represents 16 unions, said they have been working on the project for a few years and hope it can help address some of the issues they see.
“The intent is to promote the trades, go out and identify those in the Indigenous population now who have a trade but not have it completed to journeypersons, and put supports in place to help with things like work placements and block exams,” he said.
King said part of the challenge now is finding ways to support those current and prospective apprentices, and getting the various Indigenous governments on board is part of that. The Innu Nation is involved in the project now, and King said they hope to have an agreement in place with the other groups in the future.
