There’s no secret about the growing labour shortage in the natural-resource sector across B.C. and Canada. What’s not well known is that a key solution lies within our reach in communities across the province and the country: a growing and willing aboriginal population.
We are failing to utilize a critical resource that would address our country’s most pressing challenge — maintaining the growth and competitiveness of our economy.
B.C. Premier Christy Clark just announced the liquefied natural gas industry could require up to 100,000 jobs over 30 years, and is bringing together labour leaders to address the issue. And in a recent statement, federal Minister of Employment Jason Kenney said Canada will face shortages of hundreds of thousands of construction tradespeople over the next decade, with Alberta’s oilsands creating the largest demand. In response, Ottawa announced plans to address the labour challenge by expediting the permanent-resident status of skilled immigrants.
The available workforce in aboriginal communities is growing. Between 2001 and 2026, 600,000 aboriginal youth will enter the labour market, according to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.
Aboriginal people could provide part of the solution to these growing labour demands, but they remain ignored. How is it that well-trained aboriginal candidates are unemployed and the majority of aboriginal communities are without jobs?
Canadian industries say they want to engage First Nation communities and aboriginal people, and encourage diverse hiring. Yet we’re not seeing a lot of progress. Some companies follow through on this promise, while others continue to shut out aboriginal applicants. In the meantime, progress stalls for both business and First Nation communities.
Through my work as CEO of the British Columbia Aboriginal Mine Training Association, with more than 150 First Nations across British Columbia, I’ve learned that many old paradigms exist within industry — paradigms that should be challenged.
“First Nations don’t want to work” and “People no longer want to work in the trades or ‘blue collar’ careers.” That’s false. Our candidates came to the training association seeking careers in the trades. They worked hard to gain their certifications, and are now seeking full-time opportunities.
We have more than 250 apprentices and qualified tradespeople who are trained, skilled and ready to work as carpenters, electricians, heavy-duty mechanics, millwrights, pipefitters, plumbers, welders and heavy-equipment operators. We’ve placed more than 600 aboriginal candidates in careers in the exploration and mining industries as of Sept. 1, 2013.
“The conditions of reserves are used as a strike against First Nations’ access to quality education.” At the request of aboriginal communities, our association delivers essential skills and provincially certified training programs. Ensuring accessibility, we bring training to the community, or we bring candidates to training in urban centres.
“We want to hire aboriginal people, but they appear to be uninterested or unqualified.” To the contrary, graduates of our training programs are well-trained, qualified and ready to work. We use standardized measures to evaluate the job readiness of candidates.
Our candidates also have access to support services that ensure they’re prepared for the complexities of working in a heavy industry. To that end, post-employment support can include coaching services, cultural awareness and advisory services for companies and employees, and supervisory and management training to ensure career progression.
We need to challenge these old paradigms and look to aboriginal people as an answer to Canada’s workforce problem. And we need to change the mindset toward hiring aboriginal people, so they have access to careers, not just entry level “jobs.” By hiring aboriginal people as meaningful contributors to industry, the results benefit the individuals, industry and government.
When B.C. AMTA candidates gain sustainable employment, the rate of retention is 95 per cent. We’re also increasing the gender parity within the workforce. In our candidate pool of more than 1,800, we have a male-female ratio of 2:1. Moreover, our candidates are achieving economic self-sufficiency, with their incomes increasing, on average, by 285 per cent. A recent report shows that our employed candidates are contributing an average of $107,000 annually to provincial GDP.
Unemployment is an issue that affects all Canadians. An empowered aboriginal workforce translates into value for communities, the province and the country.
Laurie Sterritt is chief executive officer of the British Columbia Aboriginal Mine Training Association, first vice-chair of the board of the British Columbia Institute of Technology and a member of the B.C. Mining Industry HR Task Force. She is also a member of the Kispiox Band of the Gitxsan Nation.
