Trade Winds to SuccessA Proven Indigenous Recruitment

& Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program

Our Conversation Today

• What is Trade Winds all about?

Why we started, what we do, our track record

• Where are we going?

Adding rural service delivery

Indigenous Social Realities in 2005

• Unemployment: in 2006 the overall unemployment rate in Alberta was 4.3%.

In the Aboriginal population it was 11%. Throughout Canada this total was

6.6% and 14.8% for Aboriginals.

• Children in care: As of 2009 in Alberta Aboriginal children made up approx. 9% of

all children, yet they comprised 62% of all children in care.

• Educational outcomes: In AB. 56.1% of Aboriginals over 15 years have

completed high school as opposed to 70.3% of Non Aboriginals. Nationally

only 41% of on reserve Aboriginals have completed high school

• Justice: Every kid you get to grade 12 saves society – and – you – $26,000 in

crime related costs. Approximately 70% of AB prisoners are high school drop

outs. It’s been estimated that career criminals cost taxpayers between 1.7 -

2.3 million throughout theirs lives to house in jail. In 2006 Aboriginals 20 or over

comprised 35% of people in jail in AB. despite being only approximately 4.8%

of the population. In Saskatchewan Aboriginals incarcerated was 78.4% and

they made up approximately 12.2 % of the population.

What did we do to address those Social Realities?

Number of

Indigenous people,

working in the trades

Governments

Indigenous

Communities

(ASETS)

Union Trust Funds

Vision: To facilitate the successful

integration of Indigenous people

into trade occupations.

Mission:

Through a network of partners and

stakeholders, we will assist Indigenous

people to make informed career choices

by accessing academic and peer support

in pursuit of excellence in the trade of

their choice.

What we doRecruit, prepare, and assist to placeIndigenous people into apprenticeshippositions with Alberta companies

Boiler Maker

Carpenter

Electrician

Construction Craft Worker

Ironworker

Steam/Pipefitter

Plumber

Welder

Insulator

Millwright

The Trade Winds to Success Training Society’s Indigenous pre-apprentice preparation program is unique in North America.

Working with Trades Winds & Creating a “Win – Win”

Our Goal:

Through partnerships &

training, support our Indigenous

learners to obtain meaningful and

sustainable careers in the building

trades.

Your Goals:

• Recruit sustainable local workers

• Fulfill Corporate Social Responsibility

• Build Canada

• Prepare workers for NAIT/SAIT/ rural Colleges

Labour Force Surveys• In 2016 - a sample of Indigenous communities who

had participated in a Labour Force Survey project

in their community was taken from across Alberta,

including Métis Settlements and First Nations in

Treaty areas 6, 7 and 8.

• There are approximately 160,000 Indigenous people

in Alberta between ages 18 and 55.

• The labour force samples taken from across Alberta

say 17% of Indigenous people are interested in

trades, therefore, Trade Winds has a potential

target market of 27,013 Indigenous people

interested in the trades throughout Alberta.

Case Studies

• TransMountain Expansion Pipelineo NEB hearings scheduled for December 2016

• Indigenous Communities Housing Shortageo Diversification of service delivery

o Learning Pathways Assessments

• ConocoPhillipso Using Trade Winds screening and academic program to prepare future

employees for indentureship as Heavy Duty Mechanics

Our Partners

Alberta Human Services

Oteenow Employment & Training Society

Community Futures Treaty Seven

Rupertsland Institute

Building Trades Union Training Trust Funds

Alberta Labour and Alberta Indigenous Relations

ConocoPhillips Canada and Shell Canada

Western Economic Development

BTA Workforce Development Trust Fund

The Indigenous population is the fastest growing in

Canada, nearly 50 percent of which is below the

age of 25. This represents a significant pool of

largely untapped labour. To maximize this

resource, relevant stakeholders (industry,

governments, Indigenous leaders, community

leaders, educators and trainers) at the regional

level need to accommodate cultural differences

and identify training needs.

Meeting Construction and Maintenance Workforce Challenges: Construction Owners Strategy 2011 to 2016 - COAA of ALBERTA

Key Program Elements\Timeline

Recruitment and Selection Process

( 8 weeks)

Trade Orientation

(2 Weeks)

Academic Upgrading

(4 Weeks )

Union Shop Training

(2- 10 Weeks)

Job\Apprenticeship Placement

(2-4 weeks)

Follow up

1-3-6-12 Months

Our Results

• Trade Winds has completed over 1300 pre-

apprentice candidates

• 96% of candidates pass their AIT entrance exam

with an average pass mark of 86%

• 60% of our clients remain employed in skilled long-

term jobs a year after program completion.

• Our grads go on to journeyperson status by

attending the state-of-the-art union training centres

or NAIT, SAIT, Portage, Lakeland college for Period 1,

2, 3, and 4.

Trade Winds to Success

• Our advantage…• Indigenous staffed program for Indigenous Learners

creates a sense of belonging and trust. Helps make people feel welcome and at home

• Staff….caring matters!

• Learners can feel authenticity

• Sensitive to the challenges and backgrounds of our people

• Cultural teachings, Elders and Sweat lodge availability, access to smudging rituals

• Understanding the humour

• Indigenous Career Development Professionals

Trade Winds to Success• What we have learned…

• Visualization really works!

• Giving people an opportunity can pay off,

especially more than one chance

• Having Cultural resources available is super useful!

• Aboriginal People are online and email savvy,

(Facebook is our friend)

• Back up plans are essential, ie babysitters,

transportation, relapse, housing

• Knowing available community resources goes a

long way in preventing crisis

Trade Winds Track Record

Since 2005 . . .

• Over 1300 students graduated

• Pre-2016, 91% of students gained employment

Why is Trade Winds Successful?

• Partnerships with Indigenous Communities

• Unique supports to our students

• Mentoring every step of the way by dedicated staff & partners

Our Future• Expansion and Increase of Students –

• Recruitment of Indigenous Women into the Trades

• Addressing transportation barriers to employment

• Data Base improvements

• Adding Clean Technology to our Skills Training

Programs

• Trademark Client Assessments and Skill Plan

Canada Curriculum Development

• New Website Development / Industry Engagement

• Investigating building energy-efficient, solar-

powered Tiny Homes with rural communities

Questions

THANK YOU!