Fifty-two Aboriginal youth from 30 Frist Nations graduated from provincial employment programs this weekend.
The $300,000 provincial partnership with Confederation College and Lakehead University includes the First Nations Natural Resources Youth Employment and the Mink Lake First Nations Youth Employment Programs.
The two-year summer employment programs provide Aboriginal youth, aged 16-19 with the opportunity to gain natural resource management experience through work projects in the forestry, mining and energy industries.
These programs help participants build awareness and knowledge about natural resources management, policies and practices, while removing barriers to employment by providing job skills training, education and summer employment. Youth may also pursue further education in fields such as political science, engineering and Aboriginal law.
Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro attended the students' graduation.
"These programs provide young people with the skills they need to participate in the workforce and make positive contributions to their communities and Ontario,” Mauro said in a press release statement.
In the release, Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Zimmer reflected on First Nations youth representing a large and increasing percentage of the workforce in Northern Ontario.
“Aboriginal youth represent one of the largest untapped potentials for our economy," he said.
"I’m thrilled that we continue to work with our partners on initiatives like the First Nations Natural Resources Youth Employment Program and the Mink Lake First Nations Youth Employment Program because investing in Aboriginal youth represents an investment in the future prosperity of First Nations and Ontario as a whole. When First Nations prosper, Ontario prospers.”
Since its inception in 2000, over 370 youth from 51 First Nations communities across northern Ontario have graduated from the First Nations Natural Resources Youth Employment Program. The program has placed young people in 864 summer job placements over 15 years.
