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NWTcelebrates50yearsofapprenticeshipprogramsStudentsemployersacknowledgedwithCanadianSkillsandTradesweekTuesdayNovember11201411OnRemembranceDaypleasepaytributetothemanyveteranswhohavecourageouslyservedthosewhocontinuetoserveandthesacricesthathavebeenmadeforallofus.EDUCATIONJOBTRAININGByDALICARMICHAELGrowingupAmyWardalwaysenjoyedbuildinggo-kartsandtinkeringaroundinthegaragewithhergrandfather.WhenitcametimetopickacareerWardwantedtostickwithsomethingsheknewandlovedsoshedecidedtobecomeamechanicandaftersometimeintheeldapartstechnician.CircumstancesbroughthernorthfromherhomeinAlbertawhereshejoinedtheranksof2600apprenticestrainedintheNorthwestTerritoriessinceapprenticeshipprogramswererstintroducedin1964.LastweektheGNWTcelebratedthe50thanniversaryofapprenticeshipprogramsintheterritoryduringnationalTradesandTechnologyWeek.OverNov.3to775currentapprenticeswiththetopmarksintheterritorywerehandedawardsofrecognitionfortheirhardwork.WardwhodidherapprenticeshipwithTDCContract-inginFortSmithwasoneofthosestudents.IworkedsohardatgettingthemarksthatIdidsothatIwouldbeabletoholdmyownandprovethatjustbecauseImagirlandImsmalldoesntmeanthatIdontknowmoreaboutcarsthantheydoWardsaid.Ifoundthaton-the-joblearningwasmuchbetterformeputtingmytheoryintopracticeimmediatelyinsteadoflearningabouthistoryandexpectingtorememberitwhenyougetoutofschoolthreeyearslater.TogettopmarksinyourtradeisaprettybigthingsaidDuaneMacDonaldcoordinatorofapprenticeshipsatAuroraCollege.Yourenotonlycompetingagainsttheeightor10stu-dentswhowereinyourclassitseverybodyinthatyearsoitisaprettybigaccomplishment.AuroraCollegeistheonlyorganizationintheterritorythatofferstheacademicportionofapprenticeshiptrainingandMacDonaldsaidheandhiscoworkersmakesuretheirstudentsreceivethebesteducation.Mywholerolehereisbasedoncurricu-lumandmakingsureweofferclassesthatareascurrentastheycanbehesaid.Ourshopsareasuptodateandreadyforthestu-dentsascanbe.MacDonaldsaidhefrequentlyconsultswithexperiencedworkersfromvarioustradesin-dustriesinordertokeepAurorasclassroomsatmodernindustrystandardsandtohelptheNorthemploytheverybestworkers.LookingtothefutureMacDonaldsaidthereisnoonetradethatstandsoutabovetherest.Thetradesingeneraliswherethebigneedishesaid.IwouldntsayonespecictradebecausewithalltheconstructiongoingonintheTerritoriesyouregoingtoneedcar-pentersplumberselectriciansgoingintothecampsyouregoingtoneedcooksyouregoingtoneedequipmentoperatorsyouregoingtoneedmechanicsyouregoingtoneedpowerengineers.NewjobtrainingagreementssignedDiscussioninlegislaturethisweekshowedthattheGNWTisalsoinvestinginimprovingthediversepooloftradesavailableintheterritory.ThisyearIhavesignedthreelabourmarketagreementswiththefederalgovernmentthenewCanada-NorthwestTerritoriesJobFundAgreementrenewaloftheTargetedInitia-tiveforOlderWorkersAgreementandthenewLabourMarketAgreementforPersonswithDisabilitiessaidEmploymentMinis-terJacksonLafferty.Thesethreeagreementswillprovidecom-prehensivetrainingeducationandopportu-nitiesforouremployersourolderworkersouradultworkersandcriticalunder-repre-sentedgroupsinourlabourmarketsuchasAboriginalpeopleyouthwomenincomeas-sistancerecipientsentrantsre-entrantsintothelabourforceandimmigrants.Thattotalsabout2.6inextrajobdevel-opmentfunds.Asofnowthereareabout400peopleintheNWTemployedinaskilledtradeandwithevermoredevelopmentprojectsonthegothosenumbersareescalating.Thereisabrightfutureforskilledtrades-peopleintheNWTandpartnerslikeemploy-ersandjourneypersonsarehelpingusprepareNWTresidentstotakeadvantageofthatLaf-fertysaid.Partnershipsarekeyinalltheworkwedoinlabourforcedevelopment.PartnershipswithAboriginalgovernmentsindustrySkillsCanadaNWTAuroraCollegeandtheMineTrainingSocietycontributetothatstrength.AshleyWardleftreceivesanawardforgettingtopmarksinAuroraCollegespartstechnicianapprenticeshipprogramin2013giventoherbyITIcareerdevelopmentofficerSylvieTordiff.Wardworkedhardandreceivedthesameawardthisyear.PhotocourtesyofAuroraCollege