VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, February 13, 2009-Ms. Dona Cadman, Member of Parliament for Surrey North, addressed graduates of a Carpentry Level 1 class of the Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society (ACCESS), on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. Speaking at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, Ms. Cadman congratulated them on completing the first year of their apprenticeships.
"The demand for skilled tradespeople in Canada remains strong," she said, "and Aboriginal and Métis people can fill that demand. Our government wants to ensure that Aboriginal people fully share in the economic opportunities available in our country."
"We are committed to providing unemployed urban Aboriginal people with industry-certified training," said Ms. Helen Boyce, Director of Trades and Apprenticeships, ACCESS. "This gives our participants the skills to be competitive in the labour market and successful in their lives."
ACCESS is an Aboriginal Human Resources Development Agreement holder. Its mandate is to enhance human resources development and the sustainable capacity of the urban Aboriginal population in Metro Vancouver through the provision of employment and training services.
The Government of Canada supports ACCESS through the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy (AHRDS)-a community-based strategy designed to help Aboriginal people prepare for, obtain and maintain employment.
As proposed in Canada's Economic Action Plan, $75 million over two years will be used to establish an Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund. The Fund will lay the groundwork for a successor program to the AHRDS, and will focus on employer partnerships and the delivery of targeted training to improve employment outcomes.
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This news release is available in alternative formats on request. Call 1-800-788-8282 on a touch-tone phone or through a teletypewriter (TTY).
For further information (media only):
Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
Service Canada Communications
604-666-2337
ACCESS offers customized employment and training services designed specifically to provide members of the Lower Mainland urban Aboriginal community with the education and skills to compete equally and effectively in today's job market. ACCESS is designed to stimulate and support innovative labour market initiatives. Human resource development is an integral aspect of Aboriginal self-determination and capacity building. Aboriginal peoples living off reserve in British Columbia face special issues and have special and unique needs.
The Apprenticeship Completion Grant (ACG) builds on the existing Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG) by offering an additional $2,000 to eligible apprentices once they successfully complete their apprenticeship training in a Red Seal trade. It is estimated that up to 20,000 apprentices could be eligible for the Apprenticeship Completion Grant each year.
