Erika Sherk
Northern News Services
Monday, July 23, 2007

Kitikmeot - For many, it was their first time welding, building, working on engines, and hairstyling.

It was even more extreme for some of the 31 Kitikmeot high school students at a trades training camp in Yellowknife.

Robyn Atatahak learned enough hair-styling skills at the trades camp to actually try them out on a classmate. Here, she practises on a mannequin head. The girls were able to take their "heads" home to practise. - Erika Sherk/NNSL photo

For some, it was their first time seeing trees.

"It's been a great experience for them," said Ron Klein, trades teacher at the high school in Gjoa Haven, who brought seven students from his school to the camp.

The week-long trades training camp was held at the Kimberlite Career and Technical Centre (KCTC). The camp is held to give young Kitikmeot students a chance to try out some of the trades that are needed in their territory, said Klein.

Elijah Nirlungayuk, 15, chose to study small-engine mechanics for the week.

"I wanted to fix my Mom's snowmobile," he said, when asked why he chose that field.

If it breaks, he explained, there is not a mechanic in Kugaaruk to fix it.

He plans to continue with his education after he graduates high school, he said. He wants to keep studying mechanics - snowmobiles especially.

Over in the hair-styling room, nine noticeably well-coiffed girls were finishing up their week of hair education.

"They've picked up stuff really, really quick," said instructor Steve Payne.

Robyn Atatahak, a rambunctious 14-year-old from Kugluktuk, had even progressed to cutting the hair of a brave classmate.

"I love it," she exclaimed, when asked why she selected hairstyling at the camp, "I love to work on hair, it's so much fun."

Beyond the fun of shampoo, braids, and layer cuts, she said it was also an important thing to learn.

"When you have good skills you can share them with others," she said.

Bringing the trades back to their communities was one of the reasons to hold the camp, said Payne.

"They'll go home and cut their family and friends' hair," he said.

It was also a chance to familiarize them with the hair-styling environments.

"Only two kids out of nine have been in a hair shop before," said Payne.

Getting the youth used to Southern-style living was another aim of the camp, said Alex Buchan, manager of community relations for Miramar Mining Corporation, who sponsored the camp along with the government of Nunavut, the Kitikmeot Inuit Association (KIA) and First Air.

"Obviously our company has a vested interested in (exposing youth to trades)," said Buchan, "we need workers."

Often Nunavummiut youth find it hard to adapt to Southern living, when they go South for trades training, he said.

"We need them not to be afraid of living in the South," said Buchan.

The week was definitely a success, he said, and if all goes well there will be 31 young tradespeople working in their Nunavut communities in a few years.