TWELVE ABORIGINAL APPRENTICES RECOGNIZED

The small Saskatchewan community of Spiritwood is celebrating 12 level-four carpenter apprentices for their dedication and achievement to trades training and certification and who are using their newly acquired skills to build ready-to-move homes. They are the first group to complete their formal training and work experience under the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Initiatives (AAI) - a program that brings training and First Nations partners together to meet the skills training and labour market needs of Aboriginal people in their communities across the province.

"The AAI program is designed to increase Aboriginal access, participation and success in apprenticeship trades by delivering training and work experience close to First Nations communities where they feel more comfortable with their training and can learn from each other," Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Commission board chair Paul McLellan said. "AAI projects are working to create long-term employment and economic development opportunities for the communities. It's a win-win program for the Aboriginal workers and for their communities."

Partnerships in each AAI project are unique. The partners in the Spiritwood project include the SATCC, Agency Chiefs Tribal Council, AC Realty, Ahtahkakoop First Nations, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, and Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology.

"We are very proud of our guys for successfully completing their level-four carpentry apprenticeship program," AC Realty Ltd. Partnership Finance Manager Tracy Schira-Parker said. "For the past four years, they studied hard and were able to keep their long-term goals in sight. This program required a lot of hard work, patience, and persistence, and this has attributed to where the apprentices are today. We congratulate them and hope they can appreciate their great accomplishments."

AAI has registered almost 1,000 Aboriginal apprentices in 58 projects since students first enrolled in 2005. In addition, many apprentices of the AAI have elected to participate in, and graduate from, regular apprenticeship programs.

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For more information, contact:

Lyle Bear
Apprenticeship and Trade Commission
Prince Albert
Phone: 306-953-2492
Cell: 306-961-3739

Corey Nygaard
AC Realty Ltd. Partnership
Spiritwood
Cell: 306-883-7147