NNSL (Apr 01/98) - The federal government will spend another $1.5 million on preparing Northerners for new job opportunities.

The three-year-old NWT Community Mobilization Partnership and Job Development Strategy of the NWT was given a boost Friday. Western Arctic MP and Secretary of State Ethel Blondin-Andrew made the announcement at the legislature's Great Hall.

"Northerners have to come together to create a community-based program to ensure that the benefits from developing our resources are shared broadly in the local communities and that our people have new job opportunities," said Blondin-Andrew.

The Community Mobilization program was created to ensure benefits from major resource development in progress across the NWT would be shared with communities. The funding encourages business to train Northerners for new jobs.

Since its incorporation in 1995, some 400 business have been involved with 100 local, territorial, federal and non-governmental partners.

More than 100 employees have been placed through the program. Last summer, 36 companies signed up to offer youth summer employment placements.

"These new funds will be used to build on the initial success of the partnership and will ensure that the benefits from resource development flow to Northerners as much as possible," said Blondin-Andrew.

Barbara Brown, manager of the community mobilization group, said the funding will be put to good use.

"It recognizes the work that the organization has been involved in for the last few years. It basically helps the board support continued partnership developments in new regions in the North. It's to continue to support job the job-readiness programs and it's to look at the potential of establishing the new oil and gas partnership strategy," said Brown.

For every funding dollar the organization gets, they receive three dollars of in-kind support from industry partners in the form of airfares, reduced hotel rates, industry training and employment.

The $1.5 million from the federal government will be set aside for future mobilization opportunities rather than for specific programs, said Brown.

While federal funding is important, Brown said they couldn't do what they do without industry participation and support.

Through partnerships, the mobilization group can prepare people -- who usually have a minimum of Grade 8 education -- for the workforce by teaching them life skills, personal budgeting, safety and getting them primed for 12-hour days and being away from home.