Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 03/00) - Eight people from around the NWT have graduated from the Mine Trades Access Program.

Program co-ordinator Robert Ward said the 20-week course, offered at the Yellowknife Campus of Aurora College, prepares individuals for apprenticeship.

"That program in particular is geared to training individuals to challenge the GNWT's apprenticeship trades entrance exam," Ward said.

"An individual who successfully completes and passes that program with a 70 per cent average or higher is eligible to be hired on by any industry as an apprentice," he said.

The Mine Trades Access Program began in 1997.

"Recognizing there was going to be a huge demand for guild tradespeople -- journeypersons as we call them -- which is welders, heavy- equipment mechanics, electricians, pipefitters, all those kind of things," Ward said, "its purpose was to prepare Northerners for career opportunities with the mining sector, but in particular, trades apprenticeship opportunities."

Ward said when BHP Diamonds Inc. was starting up, the minister of education at the time, Charles Dent, formed a committee of educators and industry representatives.

This committee, says Ward, was to "get together and be proactive in the identification of skilled trades and job opportunities that would be coming about with the advent of BHP's operation.

"So they met on a regular basis, this committee, and they addressed training needs of both the mining sector and industry. As a result of that committee, training programs were put in place."

The Mine Trades Access Program was one of them.

"It's basically the Mine Training Committee's program, per se. We deliver it on their behalf," Ward said. "They're the ones that got it going and set it up, with the help of the college and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment."

Ward said the program has been very successful so far, with many graduates being hired by BHP or Diavik.

"We anticipate running it a couple more years for sure."

Those who completed the 1999-2000 Mine Trades Access Program were Patrick English of Inuvik, Jamie Heron of Fort Smith, Helen Kodzin of Rae Lakes, Brian Moore of Dettah, Gilbert Neyelle of Wrigley, Rose-Anne Stewart of Aklavik, John Villeneuve of Fort Simpson and Lloyd Wedzin of Rae Edzo.