As part of B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, government is partnering with industry to invest a combined total of $1.2 million in the Pathways to Success program for six First Nations communities.  

These communities include the Kitselas, Kitsumkalum, Lax Kw'alaams, Gitxaala, Metlakatla and Gitga'at First Nations in northwestern B.C.

The B.C. government is providing $600,000 of the $1.2 million and industry partners are providing matching funding. These industry partners include BG Canada, LNG Canada and Pacific NorthWest LNG. 

Pathways to Success is an employment readiness and job development program that involves classroom instruction on essential skills − refresher numeracy, literacy and computers, as well as job-specific, industry-recognized credentials in areas such as occupational first aid, fire suppression and construction safety training. Among the most important components of the program are employment support and job development.  

Job development involves working directly with prospective employers to inform them about the Pathways program and develop employment opportunities for First Nations. Participants are assisted in matching employment opportunities to their interests and then helped through the recruitment process and during the early stages of employment. A key goal of the Pathways program is to link people directly from training to jobs. Over the next six months, the goal is to train 192 Aboriginal participants from all six First Nations.

The program is being delivered in Terrace and Prince Rupert by the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT). The institute is an Aboriginal public post-secondary institute with a provincial mandate governed by an Aboriginal board that works and supports Aboriginal communities.  

B.C. government funding for Pathways to Success is provided through the new Aboriginal Skills Training Development Program — which, in alignment with B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint — is investing up to $30 million over the next three years for new Aboriginal skills training projects and partnerships. 

Quotes:

John Rustad, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation -

“One of the great things about this program is that it helps First Nations members first get job-ready with the essential employment skills they need, and then connects them directly with jobs. This provides significant benefits for both First Nations members and their communities.”

Chief Clarence Innis, Gitxaala Nation -

“Skills training for First Nations people is a priority for our community. So it’s good see government and industry supporting training that will help ensure more members of our community benefit from jobs in the LNG industry.”

Simon Nish, vice-president, Sustainability, BG Canada -

“BG Canada is very pleased to be working with six Tsimshian Nations, LNG Canada, PNW LNG and the Province to deliver an expanded Pathways to Success program this year. We look forward to seeing many Tsimshian gain valuable employment experience.  This is an important step in supporting First Nations members to prepare for LNG jobs today. It’s also the first step in First Nations, proponents and the provincial government working cooperatively to deliver local LNG jobs and training.”

Andy Calitz, CEO, LNG Canada −  

“We are proud to support Pathways to Success, a program that embodies our shared responsibility to support and contribute to workforce development initiatives for Aboriginal people. The program will not only help students build skills and interest, but it is also an opportunity to inspire them for their own futures, and a chance to realize their full potential.”

Tessa Gill, head, Corporate and Stakeholder Relations, Pacific NorthWest LNG -

"Pacific NorthWest LNG would like to acknowledge the support provided by the Government of B.C. to help prepare those on the North Coast to take advantage of the significant opportunities that LNG presents over the coming decades."

Ken Tourand, president, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology -

“The essence of NVIT is to support the educational and skill development gaps identified by the Aboriginal communities and organizations we serve. Collaborating with communities to ensure current and future generations are prepared to champion the advancement of community priorities is why NVIT exists. We are excited to be part of this partnership and look forward to collaboratively progressing this initiative and celebrating the successes of the learners and their communities.”

Quick Facts:

• Aboriginal people are a priority in B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint.
• By 2022, one million job openings are expected in the B.C. labour market. A scenario with five LNG plants operating in B.C. would add an additional 100,000 jobs by 2023.
• More than 78% of future jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, and 43% will be in trades and technical occupations.
• More than 40,000 Aboriginal British Columbians live in northern communities and almost half of all Aboriginal people in B.C. are under the age of 25 years.
• The participation of Aboriginal people in skills-training programs is critical to the economic success of B.C. as a whole.
• Aboriginal participation in apprenticeship training has doubled since 2006.
• To date, more than 2,400 Aboriginal people have accessed trades training and apprenticeship programs through the Industry Training Authority.
• With Budget 2015, government is extending the BC Training Tax Credit program for an additional three years to the end of 2017.
• To encourage First Nations participation in trades, individual Aboriginal and employer tax credits are being enhanced by 50%.

Learn More:

B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint: http://www.workbc.ca/skills

The BC Jobs Plan: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan/

Media Contacts:

Lisa Leslie
Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
250 213-7724