North Island Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council

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Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund project

Turtle Island Native Network reports that Aboriginal people in the Port Alberni area on Vancouver Island, will have greater access to skills training . . .

The Government of Canada Partners With the North Island Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council to Support Job Skills Training in the Tourism Industry

CAMPBELL RIVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Nov. 12, 2009

Aboriginal people in the Port Alberni area will have access to additional skills training thanks to Government of Canada support announced today by Mr. John Duncan, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Island North and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

"The Government of Canada is dedicated to creating the best educated, the most skilled and the most flexible workforce in the world," said Mr. Duncan. "Through advanced training and partnerships, Aboriginal people in the Port Alberni area will have greater access to skills training to participate in the labour market today and be ready for the jobs of the future."

Canada's Economic Action Plan provides $75 million for the Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund over two years, which will help create opportunities for Aboriginal workers through skills development. The North Island Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council Aboriginal Management Society project will receive $320,749 and is one of 71 short-term projects that will provide training opportunities for 5800 Aboriginal Canadians across the country. Through the Fund, the Government of Canada will also help 2100 Aboriginal people get the specific skills they need to secure jobs and benefit from economic opportunities in a variety of sectors, such as health, aviation, trucking, construction and hospitality.

This project will provide skills and training to 24 individuals to help them secure jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors. In addition, another 40 people will receive essential skills training and employment counselling through the Hospitality and Tourism Employment Readiness Program.

Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund projects are initiatives in various industries that test innovative ideas and approaches to delivering Aboriginal labour market programs. They may also provide training to help individuals overcome barriers to employment, such as low literacy. All projects will be completed by March 31, 2011.

The Government of Canada also recently announced the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS). The Strategy will help Aboriginal people receive the training and skills they need, both now and for the long term. ASETS will focus on three strategic priorities, including supporting demand-driven skills development, fostering partnerships with the private sector and the provinces and territories, and putting emphasis on accountability and results. ASETS will replace the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy and will be in place in April 2010.

More information is available on the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Web site at www.hrsdc.gc.ca.

This news release is available online at www.actionplan.gc.ca.

For further information (media only):

BACKGROUNDER

Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund

Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund projects were selected using an application process. These projects will identify and implement distinct, short-term, focused initiatives designed to help Aboriginal people get the specific skills they require to benefit from economic opportunities.

There are regional and national components to the Fund. The regional component supports training-to-employment projects, skills development projects and service improvement projects on a regional basis.

The national component of the Fund will be used to support initiatives that are national in scope and partnership-based (Aboriginal organizations, governments, sector councils, and national training and employment groups, etc.), and will result in the development of tools, services or promising practices that will enhance the range of client and business services provided under the successor strategy to the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy.

Projects are funded for a maximum of 18 months, and all projects must end on March 31, 2011.