August 15, 2007

Skills Training

First Nations’ members
pursue roadbuilding careers

Peter Mitham

correspondent

Members of B.C. First Nations are hitting the roads in pursuit of job opportunities.

They’re not leaving home, however. A variety of training programs, in some cases arranged by employers, are preparing aboriginal workers to work as road builders and heavy equipment operators on major construction projects across southern B.C.

This September, for example, up to 45 members of the Klahoose and Sliammon nations will participate in the Vancouver Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership’s core training program, followed by the heavy equipment operators’ course delivered by the International Union of Operating Engineers. The latter provides one week of course work and three weeks of experience.

The training will prepare participants for work on the $600-million power project Vancouver-based Plutonic Power Corp. is pursuing in the Toba Valley, part of the Klahoose’s traditional territory. The project will require a total of 65 kilometres of road and 11 major bridges, some established along former logging roads.

The camp currently has 34 people, of which three are Klahoose band members, but Klahoose Chief Ken Brown expects that to change in the future. “I’m hoping by spring of next year we can expand on that,” he said. The fact Plutonic had the foresight to make arrangements for training impresses Brown, who says it’s not something outside companies have typically done when working in Klahoose territory.

Past initiatives, particularly forestry, haven’t yielded much in terms of job opportunities or royalties for the Klahoose, Brown said.

Plutonic changed that. “They raised the bar in terms of consultation and accommodation with us. They came in and offered healthy royalty packages and a job component and a training component,” he said. “We’re pretty fortunate to have these guys as partners.”

The skills band members acquire during the project, and the optimism it is generating are opening doors to other opportunities, Brown added.

“The power project actually kick-started the community, with the financial stimulant, the training component. It opens the door to a lot of other stuff,” he said, pointing to forestry and aquaculture among the opportunities the band is considering.

Meanwhile, the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association’s four-week Foundation program is drawing interest from the Katzie First Nation in Pitt Meadows.

Roxanne Wolfhead, human resource co-ordinator for the Katzie, expects 10 to 15 band members will participate in an offering of the Foundaton course this September. The dedicated offering for Katzie members will allow the course to cater to specific needs among band members. “They were very willing, if we had the numbers ... to deliver one for our community members. There was flexibility built in,” Wolfhead said, adding: “It looks very positive and would be beneficial for our members.”

Wolfhead said Katzie participants tend to be older students. She expects they will benefit from studying alongside members of their own community who have a similar social background employment experience.

The program will prepare Katzie members for employment on the Golden Ears bridge project, an $808-million project that’s set to complete in July 2009. About five to 10 members of the Katzie First Nation currently work in the construction sector, Wolfhead said, but with 455 members the band could be participating more.

“It will build capacity and open the doors to other opportunities,” she said, noting that the skills will prepare Katzie members to work on other projects in the Lower Mainland.

While training programs abound, there are few firm stats on aboriginal involvement in the construction sector.

“There’s not a flood of new people in, but there are a large number of training programs,” remarked Jack Davidson of the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association.

Still, Statistics Canada reported earlier this year that B.C. First Nations are growing players in the work force. B.C. bands posted the greatest rate of economic growth between 2001 and 2005 of any in the country, with aboriginal participation in the labour force hitting 66 per cent – a fraction higher than the non-Native participation rate of 65.6 per cent.

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