Leaders from the Tłı̨chǫ and Yellowknife community celebrated the launch of an initiative focussed on opening career pathways for Tłı̨chǫ citizens living in the Yellowknife area.
Chief Doreen Arrowmaker and Chief Adeline Football joined Giselle Marion, Director of Client Services with the Tłı̨chǫ Government and Annemieke Mulders of the Mine Training Society today in the city of Yellowknife to announce the launch of a robust program that will generate flexible career ways.
Chief Arrowmaker said the initiative marks a passage of transformation for all people of the North.
“This change will grown Northern capacity and will help residents across the Northwest Territories access local job opportunities.”
The program will connect 900 Tłı̨chǫ Ciitizens living in Yellowknife with custom resources and pathways to support career transitions and career enhancements as the economic landscape of the city changes.
A number of area mines are also facing closure or possible closure in the future.
Marion spoke about the history of the organization which has evolved over the years.
The Mine Training Society is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2003 with a mandate to provide Northerners with training that would equip them successfully for employment opportunities with the northern mining industry, particularly the diamond mines.
“Since then, with financial support both by federal and territorial funding partners, the Mine Training Society has provided training and job placements for many Northerners,” said Marion.
“We could have not have done this without our training partners and the involvement of private sector companies who have worked with us to create opportunities for our trainees, and to gain real work experience in their companies. Over the years, the Mine Training Society has been fortunate to work with and build relationships with many organisations and Industry Indigenous governments. We work with our funding partners and members and training partners, who have always adapted to the context in which we operate. And within the northern economy evolving too, the Mine Training Society, has a membership model and has changed our mandate to a much broader context and we are transitioning into an organisation that provides training and employment services to many industries and not just mining,” explained Marion.
The launch of Tłı̨chǫ Works is the beginning of an “exciting new journey” for the organization, said Marion.
“This new unit will engage directly with Tłı̨chǫ citizens living in the Yellowknife area providing custom supports These supports include career planning, exploration, help with job searching, career assessment, resume building and interview preparation. It will also include the coordination of these training programs that are delivered in the Yellowknife area for Tłı̨chǫ citizens.”
These services will be in addition to the training programs already being organized out of the Tłı̨chǫ communities, by the Tłı̨chǫ Government of Client Services.
“Here at the Mine Training Society, we will be providing wrap around services, follow-ups with our Tłı̨chǫ clients and are committed to the success of every individual who we work with, and have proven track record to that end,” said Marion.
Chief Arrowmaker expressed support to the Mine Training Society board for their work in transforming training and employment support for a broader range of employment opportunities across the territory.
“This change will grown Northern capacity and will help residents across the Northwest Territories to access local job opportunities, especially as the diamond mines lives are coming to a close. We have a history of working together and today, we are building on that,” said Chief Arrowmaker.
“We’re leveraging the ability of the Mine Training Society to establish, on-the-job training partnership with private sectot partners here in Yellowknife. We also recognise the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation as an important partner in that effort. Our partnership also includes job coaching and workplace readiness support for our citizens. For clarity, career development officers in the Tłı̨chǫ communities will continue to support our citizens living there, but now the MTS Tłı̨chǫ Works unit will provide similar services to our citizens in Yellowknife.”
The three-year agreement between the organization and the Tłı̨chǫ government brings to the table an investment of over $1.2 million for prgrams that go beyond job search assistance, explained Marion.
In an announcement issued today, Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty said the program is being implemented at a critical time when mine workers are looking ahead at career transitioning.
“This partnership is an important step for us and it comes at a time when working together with partners to prepare Tłı̨chǫ Citizens for the changing economy is critical. We have a history of working to train and develop Tłı̨chǫ citizens on individual projects and we are building that success together.”
