Maria Canton
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 13/00) - Ready, set, work.

That's the basis of a new Job Readiness program being offered to communities in the Kitikmeot.

The college program is funded and developed by a partnership that involves the Kitikmeot Economic Development Council, the Department of Education, the hamlet, Health and Social Services and Arctic College.

The objective of the courses is to build the work ethic and basic skills of those who are looking for a job, says Vicki Bobinski, the acting director at Cambridge Bay's Arctic College.

"The program has helped to pique interest in the students and some of them have now gone on to take adult education courses," she says.

"A lot of the students haven't been in school for many years and are having to re-adjust to being a student while managing their families."

The first students began the program last fall in the communities of Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay and Kugaarak (Pelly Bay). Each community has 12 funded places for students.

"We're also including life skills, building self-esteem, working in groups, interview skills and teamwork in the program," says Bobinski.

"Part of the KEDC's mandate is to create employment and build the skill levels of people -- everyone agreed that the program was needed."

Kugluktuk instructor Peter Reardon says that although many of his students withdrew over the course of the fall semester, he has 12 new students preparing personal materials for the workforce.

"Many of the students haven't been in school for many years and have been on the land hunting," said Reardon.

"But with this program, the emphasis is on themselves to develop skills for the workforce with my assistance."

Another component of the program is that of job shadowing, during which the students try to find temporary jobs for themselves in a field that interests them.

They have also prepared resumes, cover letters, letters of inquiry and are taking parenting courses, Inuktitut and Innuinaqtun classes as well as nutritional cooking.

Reardon says his students from last semester were mainly in their 30s, while this semester they range into the 50s.

With the first semester successfully completed and the second under way, the program will continue to be offered for another four semesters.