Minister Rustad makes announcement-photo 250News

Prince George, B.C.- The Prince George Native Friendship Centre is one of seven in  Northern BC that will share in  funding to provide  training for  urban aboriginals.

The funding,  $2 million  over three years,  is aimed at adding  another 1,000 people to the  labour pool.

The  funding will be linked to the Five by Five  employment centres at the  Native Friendship centres, which  have a goal of adding five thousand people to the  skilled labour pool over a five year period.

While  the promise of LNG development  remains,   the idea is  to have  culturally appropriate training in a variety of fields  depending on the needs of the client. “We’re not just saying   we want to train a 100 pipefitters, or  a  100 millwrights” says John Rustad,  Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation “What we’re saying is  we want the Friendship Centres to work with the population,  work with the  First Nations  to find out what they need, and how can we shape this program to be as successful as possible.”

Regardless of the future of LNG,  B.C.’s   skilled labour pool is aging,  and  huge gaps will be created as those  skilled people  retire and leave the workforce.

Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training,  Shirley Bond says  First Nations “Are absolutely critical  to our ( BC’s) success”   and points out that nearly half of  the First Nations population in B.C. is under the age of 25.

Other Friendship Centres  which will share in the funding  and be part of the Five by Five ‘hub” are:

• Prince Rupert,
• Terrace,
• Smithers,
• Ft. St. John ,
• Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson.