by Owen Fitzgerald, Ex. Director, Unama’ki Economic Benefits Office

SYDPORT – June 21, 2013. The Bricklayers Union has partnered with the Nova Scotia Aboriginal Employment Partnership to train Aboriginals for coming job opportunities. Junior Peters lives in Halifax and is from the First Nation’s community of Paqtnkek. Junior is one of 20 Aboriginals from across Nova Scotia taking this 20 week training program in Sydport. The Bricklayers Union is putting on this training in partnership with the Halifax Career Connections Centre and the training will include eight weeks of on the job work experience.

The Nova Scotia Aboriginal Employment Partnership recently received funding from HRSDC under the Skills Partnership Fund, to provide training for Aboriginals to participate in the $25 billion Irving Shipbuilding contract. The new “Nova Scotia Aboriginal Employment Partnership” (NSAEP) will provide training and work experience for Aboriginals across Nova Scotia in the shipbuilding industry, the spin-off economy, and other growth sectors. “With an aging population and with some major industrial projects in the region, Nova Scotia is facing a shortage of skilled trades people. We see this an opportunity,” said Alex Paul, Director of Training for the Nova Scotia Aboriginal Employment Partnership.

Tags: Alex Paul, Bricklayers Union, halifax, Halifax Career Connections Centre, HRSDC, Irving Shipbuilding contract, Junior Peters, Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Aboriginal Employment Partnership, Paqtnkek, Sydport