First Nations youth at special Natural Resources Camp

News Release
Con. College

26 First Nations youth are at Confederation College this week (July 30 - August 3), participating in the First Nations Natural Resources Youth Employment program (FNNRYEP). The youth, which are between the ages of 16 - 18, will be taking part in a number of training workshops within the Natural Resources Science and Technology Camp.
The program is now in its 13th year, with 20 first-year and 6 second-year students from 17 First Nation communities across northern Ontario, who are pursuing education, training and employment in natural resource science based sectors such as forestry and mining.
“This program has had a positive history of providing Aboriginal youth with an introduction to resource based sectors and has supported the pursuit of post-secondary education,” says Brian Kurikka, Manager, Confederation College Natural Resources Centre.
The week will start off with workshops in environmental monitoring, career planning, and forest management planning and inventory. Students will also learn about aquatic insects, ecosystem health, soils, land use planning, geographic information systems (GIS) and water treatment. There will also be presentations made by local industry and tours of the college campus, Aviation Centre of Excellence and Lakehead University.
Responding to a request by northern First Nations to empower their youth and provide for skilled workers and employment in the natural resources sector, educational institutions are providing training for a relevant workforce. The study and hands-on application of mapping technologies (GIS), land use planning, mining and forestry are in great demand in their respective communities. These are a few of the many workshops the participants will experience at Confederation College, with the remainder of the program delivered at Camp Firesteel in Upsala.
Confederation College President, Jim Madder, expressed the importance of programs like these in supporting Aboriginal youth. “With the continuing demand for skilled workers in the forestry and mining sectors, it is extremely important to have programs that provide youth exposure to the many types of careers available and the education and training required. We are very proud to be a partner in this program delivery.”
The First Nations Natural Resource Youth Employment program is made possible through the significant financial contribution and support of our program partners, including individual First Nation communities and industry partners.
Graduation and closing ceremonies will take place August 16, 2012 at Camp Firesteel in Upsala.