New Deal Aims To Create Careers, Not Just Jobs

New Deal Aims To Create Careers, Not Just Jobs

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 12:21

 

 

An Aboriginal Employment Development Agreement is being signed today at the Flying Dust First Nation in Meadow Lake.

 

The deal will be signed by representatives of the tribal council, as well as the federal and provincial governments.

 

The purpose of the agreement is to help Aboriginal people get into the workforce.

 

Victoria Gubbels, director of employment development of First Nations and Metis Relations, says the program focuses directly on what the employer’s needs are.

 

Then, that information is relayed to First Nations, so they know what skills they need to get those jobs.

 

Gubbels says an earlier partnership agreement with First Nations and Metis in Nipawin was a great success.

“They had 300 youth who were then able to meet these employers directly, talk to them face-to-face, and for the employers this was great, because for them it was a unique opportunity (to meet with that many youth),” Gubbels says.

 

“So, connecting the two communities in that way really leads to positive outcomes,” she says.

 

She says the goal is to create long-term careers, not just short-term jobs.