Agency helps aboriginal career paths open up
Native youths assisted in making transition to careers in industry
Derek Sankey, For Canwest News Service
Published: Saturday, May 31, 2008
When Tiffany Morning Bull made the transition back to living in Calgary in 2005, it was a difficult move for the aboriginal 28-year-old, but it wasn't about to stop her from accomplishing her goal of helping other young native people realize their career aspirations.
"The transition was really, really difficult, and it took me about six months to get settled and have everything in place," she says, recalling the feeling of intimidation and insecurity that accompany many people leaving small communities and reserves for the big city.
Morning Bull is now the executive director of an agency run by youth, for youth, called Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth (USAY). She's trying to show young aboriginals that there are lots of resources to help them attain a clear career pathway to the jobs of their dreams.
"Our mandate here at USAY is to ensure that, for any aboriginal youth that reaches out to us, we bring them one step closer to attaining healthy futures and that they're participating productively in the city of Calgary," she says.
The organization hosts a recreation night every month at the Eau Claire YMCA, where up to 80 youths gather to socialize and get free use of the YMCA's facilities. But USAY is more focused on providing the services that will help employers tap into an under-utilized segment of the population, while motivating other young aboriginals to pursue careers.
It helps young aboriginals prepare resumes and cover letters, search for jobs and connect with the educational resources needed to succeed.
USAY also offers e-learning modules about business etiquette and financial management, but extended its programs to non-aboriginal employers and employees so they can also develop a stronger cultural awareness of the challenges facing young aboriginal Canadians.
"We hope that if (an employer) takes that program, they have the tools they need so the transition and culture shock for the youth, when they're working for a non-aboriginal organization, isn't as great," says Morning Bull.
The organization tries to address every reality, such as the fact that anybody moving to Calgary needs at least $2,000 just to get set up initially.
The stories that Morning Bull recalls are familiar for people such as Andrew Cardinal, an aboriginal now working as the health, safety and environment (HSE) manager for Acheson-based Terracore Specialty Drilling Ltd.
He spent years working on oil rigs, but in between jobs pursued his certification in land management, earned a business administration diploma and continued on to get his bachelor of education degree.
"Being a minority out there, there's a lot of people that basically expect you to fall on your face," he says. "But it's been a great ride. My boss gave me a shot and said run with it."
Since joining Terracore in 2005, Cardinal overhauled the young company's HSE policies and practices, which earned the company the Safety Leadership Award from the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors this year.
Perseverance played a big role in Cardinal's success, as did pursuing his education, but he attributes much of his success to being able to roll with the punches. He advises other aboriginal youth to do the same.
Just go into the industry knowing that you have to work twice as hard as the next guy," he says. "Just roll with all the comments and use it as fuel for the fire instead of letting it get you down."
The fact remains that racism and discrimination are alive and well in Alberta, even with a labour shortage, says Morning Bull.
"When you're already feeling insecure and you're not hired for a job because you're an aboriginal, the chances of success are lowered as a result of that," she says.
There are many organizations that have stepped up to help aboriginals pursue meaningful career pathways, including Bow Valley College (BVC), which will house a new Aboriginal Centre when its renovations are done.
"We've always had a strong and respectful connection with aboriginal education," says Charles Pankratz, dean of academic foundations at BVC. The institution offers customized aboriginal programs aimed at helping youth upgrade their education and get prepared for further post-secondary education and, ultimately, careers.
It is partnering with the Blood Reserve, for example, to deliver practical nursing education on the reserve using a combination of BVC and reserve instructors.
As Cardinal says, it's often just a matter of progressive employers keeping an open mind. About 17 per cent of Terracore's field staff is of aboriginal descent.
"It wasn't a case of being hired for what I was, but rather for what I was able to do," he says.
