As part of the ATC/ARD Capacity Building Agreement, a new program was developed to assist First Nations Youth still in High School to find a career path. To that end, Athabasca Tribal Council’s Youth Career Path Coordinator has developed a number of initiatives:

Assisting the Native School Liaisons workers with Aboriginal Days for three elementary schools. These events will include a round dance, traditional drumming and traditional crafts. Elders will come to the school to speak with the students

We are looking into partnering with the Registered Apprenticeship Program to have students of the outlying First Nations come into Fort McMurray to work on Apprenticeship hours while they are still in school. Should this program be feasible, we will be working with the schools to provide a condensed school schedule which will consist of one week working on apprenticeship hours and one week at school. Tutors will be available for the students.

Planning a Career Preparation program which will include looking at employability skills, job shadowing, group activities, budgeting, safety, a CSTS or similar program as well as many other projects. We hope to have 12 to 16 students in this years session. Students will be given a wage, so this project will be like a summer job for them.

Information sessions for students who need assistance preparing for DAT testing. Students need to pass the DAT test in order to get into the Co-op program at Keyano College and for many apprenticeships. Plans are in the works to install a web camera in each of the five First Nations. At a specified time each day, there will a professional (engineer, liaison worker, professor, etc.) that will be online to help the students with homework or to answer any questions that the students have.