On Feb. 21–22, St. Joseph’s Ukrainian Catholic Church doubled as the meeting place for over 20 First Nations communities that gathered together to take part in this year’s Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS) conference.
According to Maryssa Oniske, one of the event’s lead organizers, this conference serves as a giant networking event, where all these different community representatives got a chance to compare notes and discover ways to stimulate their respective economies.
“Our goal is to direct them and guide them to redirect some of their funds and the way they are being spent currently,” said Oniske, who works as an ASETS database administrator for Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc.
“We’re just trying to help our communities build and come up with partnerships so that they can come up with more economic development in their communities, and the training opportunities for their people, stuff like that.”
This two-day event featured a variety of guest speakers from different businesses and consulting services, including Vale, Thompson 2020, Women Building Futures and PCL Construction.
Not only did these speakers talk about investment opportunities and job resources, but they also provided tips and strategies on how these representatives can overcome the hurdles that afflict their respective communities.
“We’re just trying to address some of the disconnects and the employment barriers that our First Nations face,” said Oniske. “Like with Internet connectivity and the issues of remoteness … and a lack of economic development in the communities too.”
However, this year’s ASETS conference was not just a one-sided exchange of information.
Speaker David Van Hooren, operations manager for PCL Construction, talked at great length about how this kind of collaboration with Indigenous groups is going to be crucial for his own business going forward.
Since the Canadian government promised to invest $8.4 billion in First Nations communities over the next couple years, Van Hooren said these groups will have unprecedented access to capital, which will open them up to countless investment opportunities going forward.
“That means that you can do lots of different things, you can develop your communities, enhance your infrastructure, cultural projects,” said Van Hooren. “We know, right now, that there’s eight schools that are going to be built in the next three years in Indigenous communities, and we’re engaged with a number of those communities in working towards those projects.”
Van Hooren ended his spiel at this year’s ASETS conference by saying that organizations like PCL are not there to provide specific solutions, but rather to provide support.
While they are more than willing to help these communities with budgeting, logistics, and the development of inclusion programs, Van Hooren said it is ultimately up to them to come up with a plan and put it in motion.
“We don’t know the specific needs of the communities and so the strategic planning around how to use that capital most effectively belongs to the communities themselves,” he said, ending his speech by reaffirming PCL’s commitment to long-term development in First Nations communities.
“Achieving just isn’t about putting people on brooms … it’s about putting them in positions to grow, to develop their skills, to enter in apprenticeship programs, to become a journeypeople and develop careers.”
To learn more about ASETS, please visit their official website.
