ALBERTA
Motive-Action Youth Pre-apprenticeship Trades Program
Provincial Dual Credit Strategy
Alberta Learning Information Service
Trades Work Program for Metis Persons
Trades Work Program for Métis Persons
PURPOSE: To increase the number of Métis individuals employed in designated trades, and to provide employers with access to individuals seeking employment.
MINISTRY
Ministry of Human Services, Government of Alberta
DESCRIPTION
The Trades Work Program for Métis Persons is a 10-week program, comprised of both employability and basic technical skills training and a two-week trades related work experience placement, leading to employment. After the placement, clients receive follow up job maintenance supports for up to six months.
The purpose of the program is to offer a mix of skill-building opportunities to provide Métis individuals with the skills, knowledge, and experience required to secure and maintain entry-level employment in the trades. Métis women were given first priority for acceptance into the program with provision to accept other Aboriginal clients into the program should space permit.
Training provided includes employability skills, shop training, safety courses, occupational fitness, employment preparation, and occupation-related skills training. In addition, off-site program components such as worksite tours, job shadowing and job search supports complement the two-week work experience placements.
Alberta Human Services partnered with the Rupertsland Institute to fund this program in 2014–15. The contractor, Carlson & Company, used a local training provider, Grande Prairie Regional College (Fairview campus) to deliver some program components such as shop training.
RESULTS
All 11 participants who started the program completed it. Of these, 10 participants identified as Métis and one as First Nations. There were 11 participants, seven of which were female.
Clients completing the program were successfully placed in a variety of trades-related positions, including Heavy Equipment Technician, Automotive Service Technician, Carpenter, Electrician, Site Security, Instrument Technician, Worksite Industrial Cleaner/Labourer, and Parts Technician.
Seven of the participants are now registered apprentices. All participants continue to take training to be successful in their chosen occupations.
Although the Government of Alberta has funded similar initiatives in the past, 2014–15 was the first year this specific client group was identified as targets for this training. It has proved highly successful to date, and the province intends to fund similar projects in 2015–16. The Government of Alberta believes one of the reasons for success is that clients easily related to one another and worked well together, while the contractor spent considerable time working with employers to ensure a positive transition into the workplace for each client.
To date, the program has enabled participants to find employment related to their training:
• At Completion: 100 percent
• At Three Months after Completion: 82 percent
• At Six Months after Completion: TBD (Follow up period ends in May 2015)
FURTHER INFORMATION
