First Nations communities across Atlantic Canada will play a significant role in shaping the economic future of the region, but are they ready?

The 2017 study Labour Force Readiness: The Pathway for Aboriginal Youth from High School into Post-secondary Education and Workforce Engagement sheds some light on the barriers and challenges faced by Indigenous youth as they navigate through education systems and employment.

There are three factors that contribute to youth labour readiness: high school education, post-secondary education and sustained employment.

Improving education outcomes for Indigenous peoples is key to narrowing the employment gap and reducing the challenges faced in attaining sustained employment.

Unfortunately, there are many barriers to education for Indigenous peoples such as insufficient career counseling and academic preparation, lack of culturally sensitive teaching and historical implications.

According to 2016 Statistics Canada data around 59 per cent of Indigenous youth graduate high school, while 87 per cent of non-Indigenous youth graduate. This statistic is better in Atlantic Canada with 65 per cent of Indigenous youth receiving their high school diploma.

The study also found that, 91 per cent of youth reported that their school provided information about how to further their education, however the study found that schools need to provide a more proactive timeframe to prepare students. Without a good unde ...