Anishinabek Employment and Training Services expands to better serve clients and communities
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Anishinabek Employment and Training Services (AETS) held an open house at their new office in the Matawa Wellness and Training Centre on July 17 in Thunder Bay.
“There’s two reasons for having the open house; number one to celebrate the fact that we’re in a new location on Algoma (Street), and that’s in addition to the space at Goods and Co., so we’re operating out of two different spaces,” says John DeGiacomo, executive director at AETS. “And then the second reason is to acknowledge the clients that we serve, so they have the same staff, just a different location, to help them in their journey to education, training to employment.”
DeGiacomo says they provide services to nine First Nations located east of Thunder Bay, including Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek, Michipicoten, Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg, Pays Plat, and Red Rock Indian Band.
“We work with clients not only in their respective communities, on-reserve or here in Thunder Bay or anywhere in between, so regardless of where they’re located, we will work with them to help in their education, training to employment training,” DeGiacomo says. “There are a variety of sectors that have high needs, so we’re looking at matching that demand with a supply of Indigenous workers. There are many opportunities, and depending on the individual’s interest, it could be on the transmission line or even future mining opportunities. The health sector has a number of occupations that remain unfilled, so our job is to look at the skills that are necessary, put training programs in place to help, and we are running one right now with LiUNA, the Construction Craft Worker program and cement finisher.”
Melanie Thompson, wellness opportunities initiative program coordinator at AETS in the Goods and Co. location, says their program aims to share information with citizens from the nine First Nations that are served by AETS.
“We want to let individuals know if they need any support in a wellness way to help support them with gaining employment or training services, they can utilize our funds if they are from the nine First Nations,” Thompson says. “But if you’re not from the nine First Nations, we can also support with resume building and utilizing many of the services in Thunder Bay as well, so we don’t turn anybody away.”
Jordan Rousselle, pre-apprenticeship training program project coordinator at AETS in the Goods and Co. location, says the new office in the Matawa Wellness and Training Centre is a beautiful change for AETS.
“Our [old] office was in the lower level and we never had windows or any scenery, so up in our [new] office, it’s really awesome that we can actually see the Sleeping Giant,” Rousselle says. “Right now, I have the Construction Craft Worker training program that we’re doing with LiUNA Local 607, so I’ve already been working with a group of 11 people right now, and they are currently training at (LiUNA). The last four weeks of the program, they’re going to do cement finishing, so they’ve just been doing a lot of safety training and they’re finally getting into operating some equipment.”
Daniel Beals, teacher and educational project coordinator at AETS in the new location, says the new location is a step up from the old office.
“We have nice beautiful views, we’ve got windows that I can open [for] fresh air so it’s a bit of a step up from the basement of the library,” Beals says. “I’m the teacher, so what I do is I help people get their Ontario Secondary High School Diploma, not just an equivalent. We have independent programs where people can get booklets and work on their own time and schedule, but I also offer one-on-one tutoring and any other supports that help remove educational barriers. I’m also the educational project coordinator, so I organize and set up educational projects that help improve Indigenous learning throughout the school boards and the area.”
Lorraine Keough, age well at home coordinator at AETS in the Goods and Co. location, says she loves the new office.
“I thoroughly love it, it was the best move we could have made,” Keough says. “The goal of our [Age Well at Home] program is to keep our Elders at home as long as we can, so whatever I can do to assist them in that, that’s what we do. For instance, I told an Elder yesterday, she wants to get a walker, well, I can help her do that, I can get the wheels turning for that and connect her with the people that they need to be connected with. So the nine First Nations that we serve, same thing, I reach out and help them with the services in that area.”