Anishinabek Employment and Training Services celebrates achievements of graduates
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Anishinabek Employment and Training Services (AETS) recently celebrated the achievements of pre-apprenticeship carpentry graduates and high school graduates through funding from the provincial government’s pre-apprenticeship program. The celebration was held on Nov. 24 at the Italian Cultural Centre in Thunder Bay.
“Thanks to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training Skills Development, we were able to provide three cohorts of 12 students training in the carpentry trade, and we have graduates here tonight, plus we have education graduates getting their Grade 12 today as a result of their commitment,” says John DeGiacomo, executive director at AETS. “It is a big commitment of their time and certainly their effort to get the certificate in the pre-apprenticeship, and they persevered. They will either be going into placements with employers or right into the workforce.”
Monte McNaughton, minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, announced on Nov. 8 that the provincial government was investing $1.5 million in three Thunder Bay training projects, including two at AETS with the Carpenters Union Local 1669 and Confederation College, to make it easier for people in Northern Ontario to start careers in the skilled trades and address critical labour shortages in forestry and mining. The projects included classroom training and a 12-week paid work placement for participants to gain hands-on experience.
“Careers in the skilled trades offer the opportunity to work anywhere, and the good pay to buy a home and raise a family,” McNaughton says. “Our government is proud to bring these purpose-driven careers within reach for more Indigenous communities in the north, and for more young people across our province to help tackle our historic labour shortage.”
DeGiacomo says the provincial government’s initiative will provide First Nation citizens with the stepping stones required to build skills and gain the knowledge needed to realize their career goals in the trades.
“There are certainly lots of opportunities for trades people and certainly with our high school program you have more doors opening if you have your Grade 12,” DeGiacomo says. “AETS is all about education and training pathways to employment, and we’re happy that we have 26 graduates here today.”
Sierra Nowegejick, a Biigtigong Nishnaabeg citizen and pre-apprenticeship graduate, says she looked at the pre-apprenticeship as a stepping stone to new opportunities.
“I potentially wanted to build my own house one day and I didn’t know how to do any of these things, even if it’s a tiny house or I want to do my own [custom] Sprinter van,” Nowegejick says, noting that is about turning a big van into a home for travelling. “That’s why I took this program, because I want to build things.”
Sheldon Nobis, a Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek citizen and pre-apprenticeship graduate, says the pre-apprenticeship was insightful, noting that he previously worked as a housing labourer in his community.
“This is the first time I ever took a course and I learned lots,” Nobis says. “We came here at first for classes at the Italian Cultural Centre and then we went to the Carpenters Union and did everything there, hands-on training and book work.”
Jordan Rousselle, pre-apprenticeship training program coordinator at AETS, says they had seven graduates from the first cohort that was delivered at the Carpenters Union Local 1669, eight graduates from the second cohort that was delivered at Confederation College and seven graduates from the third cohort.
“In total, we have 22 graduates out of all our seats and it’s been a pretty successful run,” Rousselle says. “We usually give them soft skill solution training, and that’s to help them to be more employable in any workplace — we help them with areas like communication, teamwork, collaboration, problem solving and success on the job, so we want them all focused on those areas before we send them to the training program.”
Rousselle says the graduates were also provided with eight-to-nine weeks of general carpentry training.
“And we’ll always throw in an additional trade for them to try, so we usually have an introduction to electrical or an introduction to welding,” Rousselle says.
The $1.5 million in provincial government funding also includes $644,000 for Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services to help 35 Indigenous people from the Matawa communities, which includes Long Lake #58, to prepare for well-paying jobs as construction craft workers, plumbers, and electricians.