It is not hard to discover the reason why the word “Bladerunners” also has become to mean “good work in our nations”. There are buildings in all the Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council nations that were built by the trades training program.

The latest project is a much-needed secure storage compound for two First Nations. Lonnie Norris, Halalt’s capital works coordinator, said that he had a great need, but very little money, for the multi-section facility.

“We needed storage space and so did our neighbours Lyackson Nation,” said Norris, explaining that Lyackson’s reserve lands are on Valdes Island, one of the Gulf Islands between Saltspring and Gabriola.

Norris contacted Bladerunners in nearby Cowichan. The program is a partnership between Vancouver Island University and Coast Salish Employment Training Society (CSETS) whose members include 19 nations and three friendship centres on the Island.

A crew worked through a wet November, pouring the concrete perimeter foundation and framing the shed-roof building next to the Halalt administration offices. Lyackson also rents space for its band office from Halalt.

Bladerunners was created for at-risk youth from 15-30 years, by the BC Government in 1994. Now, almost 70 per cent of the program’s participants are Aboriginal. Its success is largely because the hands-on training also includes life skills and essential skills, all with a cultural component. Nearly 90 per cent of Bladerunners participants end up with jobs. More than 30 per cent of those are female.

A future Bladerunners partnership between Snuneymuxw and CSETS will be working on a high-end golf course and housing development near Nanaimo.

The development known as Oceanview was formerly known as Cable Bay Estates. Snuneymuxw Nation has had a fruitful relationship with the developer, according to councillor Bill Yoachim.

“Cable Bay has already hired several Snuneymuxw young people. Through Bladerunners, they felt valued and gained self confidence. Most are now doing well and becoming role models for others. Cable Bay is committed to hiring more Snuneymuxw workers and offering them training, if required, once the development gets underway.

CSETS: Toll Free: 1-888-811-3919, Tel: 250-746-0183

info@csets.com

www.csets.com

ACCESS: (604) 251-7955

Bladerunners Head Office: (604) 913-7933

For the past year, former Sliammon chief Walter Paul has been concentrating on essentials.

In his year-old job as training advisor with VanAsep Training Society, Paul has been helping his clients get ready for a variety of training opportunities, from culinary arts programs to heavy equipment operator courses.

But his work has also been a learning experience.

“I’ve been very surprised at all the support there is out there for post-secondary education, but relatively little for the trades,” he said of his work with trainees who are Sliammon, Klahoose or Homalco members.

“Some of our people need help with their skills in reading, writing and math. I have to say I am very surprised that some people just don’t have the skills that many of us take for granted.

“The whole idea and concept (skills upgrading) is great,” said Paul. “But I really want to work on upgrading the 40 or so people who weren’t able to pass our assessments.

“Part of my job is to show people what they can do to improve themselves to qualify for training and to get better jobs. We can’t just throw people aside who aren’t able to pass assessments where they need basic skills in the 3Rs.”

He said that basic skills training in reading, writing and math might be a factor when further agreements are signed between companies like Plutonic Power or Peter Kiewit and their First Nations partners.

TOWES training the key

At the heart of the work Paul is doing is Sliammon is TOWES (Test of Workplace Essential Skills). TOWES was developed by Bow Valley College in Alberta in the late 1990s and is delivered in BC by a variety of institutions including North Island College, Vancouver Island University and Douglas College.

Paul said it is effective assessment tool that uses real workplace documents to measure essential skills that are needed for safe and productive employment including reading, use of documents and numeracy.

TOWES is different from other skills assessments because those taking the test assume the role of a worker. They use information in real documents to solve real problems. Some of the documents used include catalogues, order forms and labels.

Those type of essential skills are the ones that are needed to carry out a wide variety of everyday tasks once a worker is on the job. The skills are not the ones required in a particular job, but rather they are skills that are needed in all occupations.

“Our people go off and get assessed and then we create a training program from that,” Paul said.