Leveraging Partnerships for Maximum Results

October 2014Ontario Native Welfare Administrator’s Association

The Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario

The purpose of this presentation is to:

1. Provide an overview of the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO)

2. Post Secondary Education – University, College and Apprenticeship

3. Apprenticeship in Ontario

4. Identify the basic foundation of successful partnerships

5. Discuss AABO successes as a result of our partnerships

Purpose

- The Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing the number of Aboriginal people in the trades in Ontario.

- VISION: to improve the socio-economic well-being of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people of Ontario through successful inclusion in the skilled trades.

- AABO is composed of Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS) holders, industry, and other community organizations including other Aboriginal employment and training organizations..

What is AABO?

- First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples find self-fulfilment through work, become self-sufficient as a result of finding a job leading to a career and becoming a role model within their communities

- Social and economic conditions of First Nation, Métis and Inuit individuals / communities change for the good

- The First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples are one solution to meeting the skills gap in construction and the trades in Ontario / Canada

- Employers continue to engage in developing strategies to recruit, retain and advance First Nations, Metis and Inuit within their organizations

Put the End in Site

- University

- College

- Apprenticeship

Post Secondary Education

SKILLED TRADE: ELECTRICIAN – WIRING A MECH BOX

SKILLED TRADE: POWERLINE TECHNICIAN – RECONSTRUCTING POWERLINES WITH THE HELP OF A

HELICOPTOR

SKILLED TRADE: POWERLINE TECHNICIAN

Apprenticeship in Ontario

AABO Board

SecretariatSara Monture, Executive Director

Employer Partnership Developer, Marketing/ Communications Officer, Apprenticeship Program Coordinator, Information Systems Coordinator

LINK Steering Committees(local members; ASETAs, employment & training

agencies/ institutes, contractors, businesses, unions, MTCU reps, etc)

South West

GTA North Central

North East

East North West

Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO)

Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO)

STRATEGY:

1.OUTREACH - to increase awareness and promotion of the trades

2.MARKETING & PROMOTION – to increase knowledge of available programs and services in the trades

3.EDUCATION – to increase (a) awareness and understanding of skilled labour requirements, and (b) recognition of the needs and reality of Aboriginal people as it relates to experience and formal education

4.PARTNERSHIP – facilitate collaboration of all stakeholders to develop solutions to increase Aboriginal participation in apprenticeships and skilled trades

5.RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT – (a) a program of ongoing research to ensure Ontario apprenticeship initiatives are appropriate, inclusive, comprehensive and (b) an evaluation plan that will measure the effectiveness of the program

6.POLICY & GOVERNMENT – facilitate collaboration between federal and provincial governments (MTCU, ESDC, AANDC, Labour Departments, etc) and ASETAs to assist Aboriginal participation in apprenticeship and skilled trades

7.FINANCE – pursue funding through various sources for implementation of Strategy

- The Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing the number of Aboriginal people in the skilled trades in Ontario

- AABO is composed of Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS) holders, industry, and other community organizations including other Aboriginal employment and training organizations.

- Acts as a central point of contact between industry and Aboriginal employment and training organizations.

What does AABO do?

The Foundation of Effective Partnerships

• Peace

• Friendship

• Mutual Respect

Foundation of a successful partnership

1. Know your Environment

2. Know your Strengths

3. Keep the End in Sight

4. Stay open Minded

Your role as a partner

• AABO was created from the ground up by First Nation, Inuit and Metis ASETAs in partnership with the Ontario apprenticeship stakeholder community;

• Aboriginal employment and training organizations have partnered through AABO to support their clients with increased access to jobs in construction leading to careers in the industry;

• AABO has connected Aboriginal E&T organizations with the Ontario apprenticeship stakeholder community i.e., employers, construction associations, unions, non-unions, governments, training institutions and others;

• The fundamental principles of AABO’s way forward is founded on

Trust, Transparency, Commitment and Collaboration

Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario

• Identify mutual goals of recruiting, retaining and advancing skilled workers for an employer (ASETA/Industry Engagement Sessions)

• Share and understand each other’s processes to achieve mutual goals. • Aboriginal E&T organizations have the budgets, the authority to spend

the budgets and authority to develop and design labour market programs to meet community and individual needs

• Work is underway to make it easier for employers to hire, Aboriginal people to be hired and to manage the process

Partnerships – Ontario Apprenticeship Stakeholder Community

• Not all things are created equal for Aboriginal E&T organizations given employment opportunities in service delivery area range from good to bad;

• The economies of scale are challenged to take advantage of employment opportunities and grow given limited human and financial resources (small, medium and large);

• Some organizations have adapted to change over the years while others maintain the status quo e.g., politics versus bureaucracies; and

Capacity / Governance

• Knowledge of where the employment opportunities can be found and the process to access them;

• Possession of the academic and skill levels to compete for the employment opportunity;

• Ability to succeed in the interview process;

• Aboriginal Employment and Training organizations house the inventory of skilled Aboriginal workers; and

• The organizations supports clients acquire academic/training credentials, prepares them for the interview; and follows up with client/employer

LINK Aboriginal Supply with Employer Demand

AABO continues to engage the Ontario apprenticeship stakeholder community through the LINK Steering Committees; the following partnerships have resulted in Aboriginal people finding a job leading to a career:

-Hammer Head to WRAP (Work Ready Aboriginal People)-International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)-Aecon-Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario (OETIO) – Thunder Bay Local 793 bringing graduates into union and Aecon hiring them-Ontario Power Generations (OPG)-Canadian Union of Skilled Workers (CUSW)-Building Trades Councils

Some Successes

- Carpenters’ Union- The Twinning Concept GREAT / KKETS- Lower Mattagami Project – trade entrance exam example (OETIO)- Skills Canada- LINK Steering Committees- Sheet Metal and Pipe Fitters- Aboriginal Employment Skills Employment and Training Agreement

(ASETAs)- Construction Associations in parts of Ontario- Sector Councils (CAF, CSC, ESC, MIHR)- Provincial / Federal Government Officials - GREAT’s Governance Model

Some Successes ….. continued

• Partnerships between the Aboriginal community, construction industry and private sector are critical to achieve success; and they continue to grow with the support from AABO.

• Successful partnerships are created based on a common goal and are mutually beneficial to all parties.

• Be creative when thinking about potential partners!

Take Away

Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO) Website www.aabo.ca

Sara Monture, Executive Director – saramonture@aabo.ca

Take Away cont….