Working as the Partnership Development Coordinator for an Aboriginal organization, the focus was to work directly with industry, employers, Government, Unions, and educational institutions to develop effective partnerships for training to employment strategies for Aboriginal People. The organization had been in operation for over twenty years, but was little known to employers and industry.
Acting as the public relations representative, relationships were developed with industry and stakeholders to align current and future employment needs with labour market demands. With two major projects in the region, The John Hart Project and North Island Hospital Projects, and increasing demand for workers needed in the forestry sector, strategies had to be developed to meet the workforce demands.
The Labour Pool – Labour Link program was established to make it easier for employers to recruit qualified Aboriginal people from the region. A database of skilled workers was created, with ongoing intake of resumes. Relationships with employers and unions were developed over two years, with some assistance from the Industry Trade Authority.
Working with the employers and unions, timelines were established to determine what their workforce requirements would be. The labour market demands were compared to the database, and training strategies were developed for job seekers needed to enhance their skills.
Training programs, based on employer and union recommendations, were provided to qualified applicants. Aboriginal applicants that did not qualify were referred to work ready programs designed by the team.
The projects started, and Aboriginal workers were recruited through this program.
