Backgrounder: Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

Backgrounder

The Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) Program is designed to help First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban/non-affiliated Indigenous people improve their skills and find employment.

In 2016 and 2017, the Government engaged with key Indigenous partners and organizations across the country to review and renew the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS). Following this engagement, the Government and Indigenous partners co-developed the implementation of the ISET Program.

The ISET Program builds on what was successful about ASETS and reflects what was heard from Indigenous partners. It includes:

new distinctions-based strategies and funding streams that will help meet the unique needs of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and urban/non-affiliated Indigenous people;
greater focus on the full continuum of skills development, from essential skills to skills upgrading;
greater flexibility for Indigenous organizations to design programming to meet the needs of their people and communities;
reduced administrative burden; and
increased funding to support predictable and stable training and skills development over the next 10 years.

As part of the co-developed implementation of the new ISET Program, the Government will continue to work with Indigenous partners to enhance the performance strategy. This will involve collecting and analyzing data to support Indigenous partners with the design and delivery of services and programs to ensure they are responsive.

The ISET Program also responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #7, which calls upon the Government to develop a joint strategy with Indigenous groups to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada.

Current Inuit service delivery organizations:

Ontario