Province works to break down barriers for Indigenous resource workers

The Government of Saskatchewan is working to identify and remove barriers for Indigenous people aiming to work in the natural resource sector.

On Monday, the province announced a new partnership with the Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resource Centre of Excellence. The partnership, which comes with a $400,000 government investment, will see the centre conduct a needs assessment aiming to identify barriers Indigenous people face when working to enter the resources sector and develop new strategies to help connect Indigenous people to employment in both natural resources and sustainable energy development.

According to the government, the funding will support engagement efforts and help inform the centre’s program delivery options.

“We are constantly working toward creating a future where our communities are valued partners and thriving in the energy resource sector,” Sheldon Wuttunee, the centre’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

READ MORE:

• Sask. post-secondary schools form new institute for energy and mining
• Nutrien donates $15 million toward new Saskatchewan Polytechnic campus
• BHP commits $6.4 billion to Jansen potash mine

Increasing Indigenous participation in the resource sector is a goal in the government’s growth plan. With private investment creating more and more opportunities in the sector, and Saskatchewan boasting world-class resources, the government said it’s important that the workforce aligns as closely as possible with the needs of the provincial labour market.

“Engagement of Indigenous communities in the workforce is essential to the continued growth of Saskatchewan and is a key component of our province’s recently released Labour Market Strategy,” Jeremy Harrison, Saskatchewan’s immigration and career training minister, said in a statement.

“Partnerships such as this help create new opportunities and ensure the Indigenous workforce has every opportunity to benefit from the jobs being created by Saskatchewan’s strong and growing economy.”