THUNDER BAY, ONT. — Funding has been announced for a new project to help around 60 unemployed and under-employed Indigenous people get the skills and work experience they need to find jobs.
Through the Skills and Partnership Fund (SPF), $2.5-million will be provided to Hardy Giles Consulting to support Operation Innovation, a project delivered in partnership with training provider Workplace Training and Safety First and industry partner LTL Contracting Ltd., states a release issued by Employment and Social Development Canada.
The project will train participants in simulated heavy equipment operation roles and help them gain work experience in the natural resource extraction industry, and includes strategies to help address the challenges Indigenous women face in securing employment in the mining, construction and forestry industries.
“Operation Innovation is breaking down barriers for Indigenous people wanting careers in mining, construction or resource development projects,” said Paul Giles, owner, Hardy Giles Consulting, in a statement. “Our team focuses on the workforce integration process. We act as a communication and connection mechanism, bridging the gap between Indigenous people and employers.”
According to the release. the SPF receives $50 million in funding per year and to date has leveraged approximately $250 million (cash and in-kind) from partnerships since its inception.
From April 2010 to March 2017, the SPF has served more than 32,000 Indigenous clients, which included helping over 12,500 individuals get jobs in various sectors such as natural resources, trades, health, retail and tourism, and assisting 1,650 individuals to return to school.
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