The Joint Economic Development Initiative Inc. (JEDI) is launching a new training and placement program designed to get New Brunswick Aboriginal Peoples working within the trades in New Brunswick.
“NBAMET is a dynamic 20-month training to employment project through JEDI, focused on mining, energy and trades in New Brunswick,” said Karen LeBlanc, Executive Director for the Aboriginal Workforce Development Initiative Inc. “We are excited about training Aboriginal Peoples in New Brunswick for employment opportunities in these sectors and providing employment for our skilled workers”.
The $1.8 million New Brunswick Aboriginal Mining, Energy and Trades Program (NBAMET) has been designed to invest in our local labour pool. The trades in many economic sectors have current or projected shortages in New Brunswick and NBAMET wants to ensure that trained and job-ready Aboriginal Peoples are prepared to take advantage of those opportunities.
NBAMET will be using this investment to support and prepare over 120 New Brunswick Aboriginal Peoples who are currently working in the mining, energy or trades sectors; currently in trades training; job ready clients; recent grads (NBCC) and Aboriginal Skills Employment Program (ASEP) grads, in their pursuit to find viable career opportunities within the mining, energy and trades sectors.
“JEDI continues to support Aboriginal Peoples participation in the New Brunswick workforce and continues to prepare and aid Aboriginal Peoples at all stages; such as training and apprenticeship,” said Kim Nash McKinley, the NBAMET Project Coordinator. “We strive to build job-ready clients, this has long-term benefits to all New Brunswickers, Aboriginal community individuals, their families and the communities in which they live.”
This new initiative is open to all Aboriginal Peoples living in New Brunswick. There is an expectation that hundreds of applications will come in which will need to be processed and screened. Once this phase is complete, NBAMET will move forward with potential training, job placement and ongoing aftercare support for clients of the program.
JEDI is a non-profit organization that works with partners to foster Aboriginal economic and workforce development in New Brunswick. JEDI is funded by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Employment and Social Development Canada, the New Brunswick Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour as well as the New Brunswick Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat.