Committee report outlines 30 recommendations
As Alberta’s economy recovers and the province forecasts a labour shortage, the provincial government released a plan to work with the Aboriginal community to better connect people to the job market.
The plan includes 30 recommendations for building relationships and employment opportunities for Aboriginal Peoples in the province, including:
•improving the co-ordination of employment and training programs
•creating employment and training programs that connect Aboriginal Peoples and communities to local industries
•developing better labour market information in Aboriginal communities
•improving Internet access on First Nation reserves and in Aboriginal communities
•developing an Aboriginal workforce strategy.
The plan is based on recommendations made in a report from the committee on the First Nations, Métis and Inuit workforce planning initiative called Connecting the Dots. The committee met with Aboriginal leaders, businesses, schools and community organizations over 18 months to learn about local needs and priorities.
As Alberta prepares for an economic recovery, working with Aboriginal Peoples to ensure they are included in the province's workforce is a key priority for the ministries of employment and immigration and Aboriginal relations, said the provincial government. The Aboriginal workforce strategy will identify the gaps in connecting Aboriginal Peoples to the workforce and economy and work to close those gaps, it said.
The committee’s report and the government’s response can be found online at employment.alberta.ca/betw.
