Training with eyes on the future
Two Behchoko women to become senior administrative officers
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Monday, October 10, 2016
BEHCHOKO/RAE EDZO
Two Behchoko women are getting ready to stand at the helm of their community government.
Louisa Wedzin and Treeva Richardson are both senior administrative officer trainees through the Government of the Northwest Territories' Advancing Local Government Administrators Program, said current SAO Larry Baran.
"They're both very bright and fun to work with and they're going to be a good team, that's for sure," Baran said.
The program is intended to train local people for government administration jobs. Due to Behchoko's size and population, the community government decided to train two SAOs instead of just one, Baran said.
"Behchoko is the biggest of the four Tlicho commentates," he said. "From an administrative point of view, it's always good to have a strong team and these two work together very well."
For Wedzin, who has been working for the community government since 1989, the training was an ideal next step.
"I started as an administration assistant and then I moved up to utility clerk, then finance and then to assistant SAO," she said. "And I thought after all of these years, maybe I'll try for that SAO trainee (program)."
Wedzin dropped out of school in Grade 9 because there was no high school in the community at the time.
Instead, she took upgrading courses, including what was then known as an office procedures course through Aurora College.
'You see through a different lens'
"I took that from 1988 to 89 and I got my certificate as an office assistant," Wedzin said. "I started working at the community government."
She also earned her finance officer certification.
Though she's served many roles during her 27 year career with the community government, Wedzin said she still enjoys finance work.
Richardson had originally applied to replace Wedzin as assistant SAO when she was offered a chance to participate in the training program.
She is working toward earning her bachelor of education through Aurora College and said she is enjoying learning how the community government works behind the scenes.
"I've always been a school administrator and prior to that I worked at offices for two or three months, just for the summers while I was going to school," she said. "Being in this position, you see through a different lens."
While training typically takes about two years, Baran said Behchoko's training could extend to three years.
"I think MACA (the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs) is looking at the fact that there is value in extending the program to three years. We may see that happen here," he said.
"Instead of having to jam a series of courses and training sessions into a two year period and not have as much hands-on practicum experience," he said,
"I think we'll see the program spread into three years where they'll get more practicum experience working day-to-day in the office.
"As well as taking the courses to better understand what they need to be doing."
Wedzin said she's especially looking forward to getting first-hand experience.
"Since I've done everything, it's just that I need hands on training," she said.
Richardson agreed.
"When you're not in a position like this you wonder why things happen the way they happen," she said.
"And being here (you see) there is a process, a step."
