A forum designed to bridge employment, training, recruitment and retention needs with a skilled Aboriginal labour force called the Workforce Connex Manitoba Forum is being held today in Winnipeg, said Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross.

 

“Because Aboriginal workers make up a growing segment of the population compared to the non‑Aboriginal workforce, we need to make every effort to ensure that new labour market sectors are being connected with current training opportunities for Aboriginal people,” said Irvin-Ross, who attended the conference being held at the Winnipeg Convention Centre. 

 

The two-day forum is hosted by the Aboriginal Human Resource Council of Canada in co‑operation with Aboriginal human resource development agreement holders and a number of private companies.

 

The minister noted several provincial initiatives are underway to address the growing need to fill Aboriginal training and employment including:

·         tripling Aboriginal apprentice registration since 1999;

·         an IBM commitment to increase the participation of Aboriginal people in economic development through its Igniting Interest in Technology and Engineering program, delivered in schools across Manitoba, to teach youth about careers in technology;

·         a $60-million Canada-Manitoba-Manitoba Hydro pre-project training initiative involving almost 1,200 participants, two-thirds of whom are to be First Nations and Métis people;

·         increased resources for the Aboriginal Education Directorate; and

·         development of a new young Aboriginal entrepreneur initiative to provide assistance with costs associated with business development.

 

“Despite a 30 per cent increase, between 2001 and 2005, of employed off‑reserve Aboriginal people, we still have more work to do to ensure we identify the supports and resources required to address Aboriginal needs and those of employers,” said the minister.

 

More information on the conference that runs today and tomorrow is available at:

www.workforceconnex.com/.

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