Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Mar 31/00) - Career Quest 2000 attracted hundreds of students and visitors from around the Beaufort Delta last week.

Following a one-year hiatus, the GNWT's Department of Education, Culture and Employment and representatives from Human Resources Development Canada organized about 30 businesses to participate in exhibitions in Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Aklavik and Fort McPherson.

"It used to be an annual event, but it's only been every other year recently," said co-ordinator Adam Binder. "But we will try to get one going for 2001, too."

Career Quest was in fact more than a series of one-day events. In Inuvik, both Samuel Hearne and Sir Alexander Mackenzie schools hosted a variety of business and government representatives, who spoke to students about job options and career development.

Speakers including elder Billy Day, Donna Kisoun from the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and student Jill Chinna also addressed the assembly as the job fair opened at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex last Thursday. They talked about the importance of education and planning for the future and of the choices open to young people.

Booths staffed by wildlife and resource development enterprises appeared to be among the most popular with the visitors.

"There's been a lot of traffic and definite interest," said Jill Finley, marketing representative for Inuvik Gas Ltd. "Our booth is sitting here between Imperial Oil's and Schlumberger's and shows that we're an example of the coming boom."

Finley added many students were interested in learning about the different jobs available in the petroleum sector -- from administrative to technical, hands-on positions.

"Not all of them mean going to school for years and years," she said. "Some of the courses being offered by southern colleges are not as long as you think, and you can do your adminstration diploma at Aurora College in two years."

Jen Shaw said the Gwich'in Renewable Resource Board's display, which included furs and a satellite tracking collar for grizzly bears, also attracted attention.

"A lot of the kids are asking what we do, and many have been coming back several times and hanging around; we know they're interested in the outdoors," she said.

While Career Quest was probably more beneficial to older students facing career choices, teachers and organizers said it is never too early for the younger ones to start thinking about what they want to do after school.

Junior high teacher Mike Carter organized a scavenger hunt for his and Heath Israel's junior high students attending the fair. Instead of simply picking up pamphlets and freebies, students had to collect information which included finding women working in the field of science or listing jobs related to wildlife.

"We kept it fairly light and just wanted to get them thinking about jobs and the possibilities out there," said Carter.