John Curran
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, December 26, 2007

TUKTOYAKTUK - Thanks to a number of organizations, a group of four women here are well on their way beating one of their greatest fears - working with computers.

Catherine Katigakyok, Flora Cockney, Freda Raddi and Bernice Raddi started taking the Tuktoyaktuk Computer Knowledgeable course at the Jason Jacobson Youth Centre in September and will continue until March.

Catherine Katigakyok, left, Flora Cockney and Freda Raddi started learning about computers last September and their course at the Jason Jacobson Youth Centre will continue until March. - John Curran/NNSL photo

They're now on their holiday break, but already they say the class has given them level of comfort they never felt before.

"I was scared to learn about computers," said Katigakyok. "But now that I know how to undo my mistakes it's not so bad."

A language instructor at the Child Development Centre in the community for the past seven years, she said she hopes more courses are offered like the one she's taking as there is a big demand.

"There was a waiting list to get in," she said. "I was lucky, a spot opened up the day class started or else I wouldn't have been able to take part."

The course, which is being sponsored by the Inuvialuit Regional Corp. and delivered by the Tuk Community Corp., is taught by Rosemary Lundrigan, adult education facilitator.

"One of our key initiatives is to help people build skills to join the workforce," she said. "These ladies aren't intimidated by computers anymore."

Listening to the students talk, it's clear the class is meeting its primary goal.

"I want to stay in town and find a job doing office work," said Cockney. "I know I'll be able to do that once I complete this training."

For Freda Raddi, the boost she's gained personally from the class has her looking very positively at her future prospects.

"It feels really good," she said. "I think it has given me the confidence to continue learning and bettering myself with education."

She is considering going back to upgrade her high school.

"I enjoy learning everything now," she said.

Katigakyok is also considering continuing down the education path.

"I'm so glad I did this," she said. "I may go back to the Community Learning Centre after this to upgrade my math."