For 21-year-old Daniel Carpenter, trades training is opening up a new world of opportunity.  Daniel, who is a member of the Heiltsuk First Nation, is just starting a new job as an apprentice welder at the Seaspan shipyards in North Vancouver.

As he works towards getting his Red Seal certification and becoming a fully qualified, journeyman welder, Daniel says working at a skilled trade has been life-changing. “I was lost in where I was going,” says Daniel of his life before taking trades training.  “Now I have a well-paying job and I’m looking forward to a rewarding, long-term career close to home.” 

(flickr.com)

Daniel got his start as a welding apprentice with support from ACCESS - the Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society. ACCESS has over 15 years of providing employment and training services to the urban Aboriginal population of Metro Vancouver. Training partners include BCIT and the Piping Institute Apprenticeship Board as well as industry employers like Seaspan.   

“We are proud of the work we do and we have a lot of success,” says Helen Boyce, Director of Trades Training and Apprenticeship at ACCESS. “Right now, we’re following the training progress of more than 400 Aboriginal apprentices on a daily basis.”

Like Daniel, approximately 78 per cent of British Columbia’s Aboriginal population live off reserve, with 60 per cent living in urban areas. Following up on a 2011 Throne speech commitment, government recognizes the importance of the off-reserve Aboriginal population and is working with Aboriginal partners, federal and local governments to implement an Off-Reserve Aboriginal Action Plan (ORAAP) that will improve social and economic outcomes for off-reserve Aboriginal people. 

As the fastest growing demographic in the province - with 50 per cent under the age of 25 - Aboriginal young people are key to meeting B.C.’s labour needs.  Through B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, the government is committed to adding 15,000 Aboriginal workers to the workforce over the next ten years. 

B.C. needs many more young workers like Daniel - both now and in the future.  According to labour market research, there will be an estimated one million job openings by 2022.  Nearly half of those jobs will be in skilled trades and technical occupations.
 
 “We want Aboriginal people to have every opportunity to succeed in growing industrial sectors,” said John Rustad, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. “The work that ACCESS is doing helps ensure more young people like Daniel benefit from well-paying jobs in the skilled trades.  As a member of the Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Executive Council, ACCESS is a key partner in the ORAAP initiative.”

The revival of the ship-building industry in B.C. is helping drive demand for more skilled workers and reflects a strong and diversified economy.  Leading the way is Seaspan, which has been awarded $11.5 billion in federal shipbuilding contracts that will create thousands of new jobs in the province.

In early March 2015, ACCESS is hosting the Ship Shape conference in Vancouver and the Province of B.C. provided $20,000 in support of the event. The conference brought together key partners in the marine industry—employers, government and unions—with urban Aboriginal employment and training organizations. The highly successful event provided front-line workers with the information they need to better enable them to assist their Aboriginal clients in gaining long-term jobs in B.C.’s burgeoning marine industry. 

Learn more: 

ACCESS - Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society: http://www.accessfutures.com/

Media Contact:

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