BEAUFORT DELTA - Pipeline or no pipeline, NWT residents must have the training necessary to succeed in the workforce. That's why the federal government is contributing $9 million to help pay for new construction training programs in the Inuvialuit settlement region.

Nellie Cournoyea, chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, said education is the key to success. - Katie May/NNSL photo

"There's always urgency in having everyone educated to the fullest capacity they can be educated," said IRC chair Nellie Cournoyea. "It doesn't make any difference whether the moon was falling. We have to take every effort to have our people well-educated."

On behalf of minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Diane Finley, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced $9 million in federal funding for both the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation's cultural achievement project and a new project called Building Inuvialuit Potential Society, which will aim to train workers in trades.

"This is part of our overall strategy to create the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in Northern Canada," Aglukkaq said in Inuvik on April 7.

"Many small community organizations like yours are playing a critical role in creating a dynamic labour force here in the Northwest Territories and you deserve to be recognized for your contributions to the community and your ability to work together towards a common goal."

The IRC's cultural program is set to receive $2.1 million from the federal Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund with the goal of training 90 people as personal support workers and trades apprentices. The new training project, the Building Inuvialuit Potential Society, will receive $7.1 million from the Aboriginal Skills and Employment partnership.

The rest of the funding for the project will come from the NWT government and local contracting businesses for a total of $14 million. The project aims to provide long-term jobs to about 400 people over three years. That number of projected jobs is based on the enrolment and success rates of former Building Aboriginal Futures programs. At this time it is open to Inuvialuit beneficiaries only because it will be run through the IRC, but any organization in Canada can buy shares in the project to open it to their members.

"Education, as we all say, is the key to success," said Cournoyea, adding that many Inuvialuit beneficiaries don't have the qualifications they need to get a job. "It's our responsibility to do as much as we can to source support services to get them there - that's why it's important."