Yellowknife (Sep 13/06) - Twenty-five years ago, George Goulet would walk down Franklin Avenue with his tool belt around his waist, looking for work.

Now, the journeyman electrician is hoping a new business agreement between his company, Eke' Cho Electrical and Adco North will provide many job opportunities.

The new joint-venture firm, known as Adco/Eke' Cho Projects, will focus on residential and heavy industrial electrical projects, said Goulet.

Three apprentices are employed for Eke' Cho Electrical who work out of Ndilo. Goulet hopes the new business will provide more opportunities for Yellowknives Dene.

"We want to take on young apprentices from the community and train them for the community," he said.

Having a business partner like Adco North will certainly open up more opportunities to do electrical work at mine properties throughout the NWT, he said.

"We're looking for any type of work we can get our hands on," he said.

The new firm also opens new opportunities for Adco North -- it gives the partner firm a chance to work in the residential sector, said Rick Miller general manager with Adco North.

Normally the company does a variety of heavy industrial work, such as in mining and power generation, he said.

"We wanted to get into commercial work. Its a case of truly adding on a different element," he said.

In creating the business venture, Adco North agreed to help provide financial backing required for Eke' Cho Electrical to secure work within the mining community, said Miller.

While an agreement between the two companies has been signed, Adco/Eke'Cho Projects was a year in the making, said Miller.

The ball began to roll when Ken Smith, a business development co-ordinator for De Beers Canada saw a connection between the two companies.

"It seemed like a good fit," said Smith. Smith said business connections like Adco/Eke' Cho Projects can only help to improve the skilled workforce in Yellowknife.