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LLI GOLINE/NORMAN WELLS - A teacher with Aurora College in Norman Wells says the GNWT's current Graduated Driver Licensing Program (GDLP) is blocking potential students in the Sahtu region from taking courses that would equip them to work at nearby oil and gas sites.

Dudley Johnson, right, an instructor with Aurora College in Norman Wells, says the GNWT's current Graduated Driver Licensing Program is hindering students' ability to get the required Class 5 licence. Johnson is pictured here with an unidentified graduate from the college. - photo courtesy of Dudley Johnson

Dudley Johnson, co-ordinator of community programs for the college, said residents interested in working in the oil and gas industry - as well as construction, road building, ice road maintenance or environmental monitoring - can't take training courses at the college because they lack a Class 5 licence.

Nor do students realize how long it will take to get the licence, due to a lack of sufficient communication from the Department of Transportation, he added.

"A lot of people, when the GDLP was brought in, didn't understand that it takes two years to go from a probationary license to a Class 5," said Johnson.

Johnson will begin one of his courses next week. He had to turn away 60 people because they lacked a full licence.

"You have a body of people in the communities, about 20 to 40 people in each community, between the ages of 19 and 30, who don't have their driver's licence, who are willing to work and can't get on a site basically because they haven't got that first requirement," he said.

Johnson said the GNWT did not do enough to educate community residents about the new system.

He said the GNWT posted notices, "but no one went into the schools to inform the high school students."

Johnson wants to see the window for getting a full licence reduced from two years to six months for students over 18, and a high-school driving program - similar to those in Canadian provinces - instituted for those under 18.

Johnson has been in touch with the Department of Transportation since April about his concerns.

"I haven't gotten a response from them," he said.

But Gary Dziwenka, an analyst with the department's road licensing and safety division, said the government is open to working with Johnson on a solution, "as long as it doesn't negatively influence safety."

Dziwenka added that a letter expressing the GNWT's willingness to co-operate with Johnson, was sent on May 20. Johnson said he never received the letter.

As far spreading the word about the new graduated regime, the department did everything it could, according to Kelley Merilees-Keppel, manager of the GNWT's vehicle licensing programs.

"Posters and brochures were sent to all of the schools, all of the communities, and all of our issuing sites - anywhere ... where you can go get your driver's licence," said Merilees-Keppel.

Not all Sahtu communities have such an office, nor were the posters printed in any language other than English, confirmed Merilees-Keppel.

It's too early to say what avenue the GNWT might take to tweak the licensing system, added Dziwenka.

For Johnson, time is of the essence, especially with a busy winter drilling season on the horizon.

"But with all the work that's up this way, these people can't afford all of this time."