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PAULATUK- A pilot project launched last week in Paulatuk will allow Aboriginal students there access to educational courses not usually available in their community.

Paulatuk students had the chance to rub elbows with business and industry professionals at Angik school's career fair. Students and community members came out for a feast and learned about career and education opportunities here in the North. From left are, Angik school principal Jessica Schmidt, Melba Ruben, Sunchild E-Learning CEO Martin Sacher, Carla Ruben, Aaron Ruben, Toutuk Lester, and Northwestel representative Garth Walbridge. - photo courtesy of Jessica Schmidt

Paulatuk's Angik school used its annual career fair on Nov. 25 for the official launch of the Sunchild E-Learning program. The school has partnered with Northwestel to make online courses available to students. Based out of Alberta, the online educational resource -- built specifically for aboriginal students -- allows students to complete high school credits at their own pace.

"The teachers record their courses so there is a virtual classroom the students can attend certain times during the week," said Principal Jessica Schmidt.

The program is a pilot project being tested in Paulatuk and may expand to other communities, said Schmidt. Presently, it will allow Paulatuk students to earn high school credits in subjects such as animation or tourism, studies generally only available in larger centers.

"We can't offer all the courses we want to offer because we don't have the personnel," said Schmidt. The Sunchild program will now help change that.

She said a single online course can cost upwards of $600 but Northwestel has agreed to fund the project for three years.

Students and community members in Paulatuk attended the career fair where, aside from the launch of Sunchild E-learning, they had the opportunity to explore Northern career opportunities.

Representatives from industry, government and post-secondary institutions were on hand to pass out information and give advice to students.

Schmidt said holding a career fair has been a priority for the school in the past year.

"We wanted to make sure we either took the kids out to a career fair or brought the career fair to us," she said.

After partnering with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC), Schmidt was able to get several businesses and community organizations on board for the project.

Northwestel, the RCMP, Aurora College, the Hamlet of Paulatuk, Skills Canada, Imperial Oil, Beaufort Delta Health and Social Services and the IRC all had representatives on site to speak with kids and adults.

Companies handed out free promotional material. Several big-ticket door prizes including mp3 players and digital cameras were up for grabs as well.

Residents enjoyed a feast and all ages took the opportunity to learn about career and education opportunities.

"I got some really good feedback from the community and we had quite a few young students who came in to check it out and talk with people," said Schmidt.

Grade 11 student Vanessa Anikina, 16, said she has always wanted to be a fashion designer and the career fair helped her learn what she should be doing to reach that goal.

"A lot of people at the fair knew about it and told me what I needed to graduate from to get into fashion design," said Anikina.

She said she learned about universities that offer fashion programs.

The fair also opened her eyes to new possibilities. She said she was speaking with some nurses about getting in to medicine. Anikina said the pay in health positions looked promising.

Like many of her peers, Dana Illasiak, 16, is still on the fence about what she wants to do with her life.

"I have a lot of ideas so I'm not really sure right now," she said.

The fair showed her a variety of possibilities. She spent a lot of time speaking with the RCMP about career opportunities.

"They gave me a lot of information about it and which college I should be going to," said Illasiak.

With the great turnout and response from the community, Schmidt said the school is already planning to hold an even bigger career fair next year.

"We want to make this annual and we want it to be bigger next year," she said.