Aboriginal Workforce Participation Initiatives
The overarching objective of the Aboriginal Workforce Participation Initiatives is to increase the participation of Aboriginal peoples in the electricity and renewable energy workforce by researching and communicating existing access barriers, crafting and piloting strategies to address them and identifying potential partnerships and communication pathways between Aboriginal peoples and industry. These initiatives will both increase Aboriginal peoples’ awareness of opportunities within the sector and strengthen industry’s current efforts by improving understanding of the employment practices that support recruitment and retention of Aboriginal peoples.
By the end of this project the Council will have conducted several youth-oriented summer camps aimed at increasing awareness amongst Aboriginal youth as to the employment opportunities that exist within the electricity and renewable energy industry, held a national symposium highlighting the existing barriers and issues that the Aboriginal peoples face, designed a web-based human resources guide, and developed a strategy to overcome obstacles within the industry.
National Aboriginal Symposium
The Council will be holding a National Aboriginal Symposium on November 26 & 27 in Toronto, Ontario. Space is limited to 60 participants and is by invitation only. This event will bring together representatives of the electricity and renewable energy industry along with Aboriginal, educational and government representatives to network, discuss challenges and share best practices on how to increase Aboriginal peoples’ awareness of opportunities within the sector and strengthen industry’s current efforts to employ Aboriginal peoples .
Symposium objectives include the review and validation of research findings to date, examining existing access barriers, crafting and piloting strategies to address them and identifying potential partnerships and communication pathways between Aboriginal peoples and industry. The symposium will be structured with facilitated sessions to maximize the dialogue and outcomes of the event.
Bright Futures Aboriginal Youth Camp
The Aboriginal Youth Camp Pilot was held August 17th – 21st in Thunder Bay, Ontario. This camp was designed to bring attention to the opportunities for Aboriginal youth in the electricity and renewable energy industry and the importance of taking maths and sciences in school. Thank you to our sponsors who made this camp possible. To see the camp photos, click here.
Futures camps will be scheduled to take place across the country in 2010. Please check back soon for further details.
For more information about the Aboriginal Workforce Participation Initiatives, please contact Michelle Branigan, Senior Project Manager at (613) 235-5540 or by email at info@brightfutures.ca.