The Alberta government recently announced a $1.5 million investment into Trade Winds to Success, an Indigenous-led non-profit organization that helps Indigenous students train for careers in the skilled trades.
"Meeting the needs of industry and maximizing opportunities for Albertans means promoting and supporting trades education to all communities, including Indigenous people," stated the press release.
A total of $1,507,263 in funding from Advanced Education will be given to Trade Wins over three years, beginning in 2024-25, to support their administrative operations.
"Indigenous-led non-profit organizations like Trade Winds to Success help ensure that Indigenous Peoples are included at every level of the economy – as owners, workers and partners," said Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin MLA and Minister of Indigenous Relations Rick Wilson.
"This funding will help Indigenous students gain valuable training in the trades and moves us forward as we build a stronger, more inclusive economy."
Minister of Advanced Education Rajan Sawhney said supporting Trade Wins is a "win-win" for Indigenous workers and Alberta's economy.
“Trade Winds to Success has an impressive history of helping Indigenous students to discover new career opportunities in the skilled trades, overcome barriers to education and thrive in the workplace," said Sawhney.
Through partnerships with Alberta’s government, Union Training Trusts, employers, and the Indigenous community, Trade Winds to Success has helped to increase the number of Indigenous people training and working in the skilled trades, with more than 3,000 individuals supported since 2005.
The new funding will support Trade Winds to Success’s operations so they can deliver programming, including their Residential Construction Program.
Students in this program take foundational courses for six weeks, followed by 12 weeks of hands-on training where they learn techniques to construct eco-smart small homes for Indigenous community members.
Upon completing the program, students receive 330 hours towards their first year in Alberta’s carpenter apprenticeship education program.
The program is expected to enroll 156 participants over three years, with an anticipated 80 per cent completion rate, helping to address labour needs in the province.
“The multi-year funding announcement from the Ministry of Advanced Education is the perfect demonstration of reconciliation in action," said Linda Domak, president of the board of directors, Trade Winds to Success.
"Access to operational dollars not only allows us to address core needs but it also allows us to build capacity and plan for the future. Through quality pre-trades training, we can continue empowering the next generation of tradespeople while finding new ways to support their goals.”
