Building inclusive relationships with First Nations communities

A mining and exploration program in northern B.C. promotes inclusive relationships with Canadian aboriginals

1 of 3Katie Ludwig, a First Nations elder who stays at the camp with students each summer, aids in cultural immersion. — Photo courtesy School of Expl

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1 of 3Katie Ludwig, a First Nations elder who stays at the camp with students each summer, aids in cultural immersion. — Photo courtesy School of Exploration & Mining

2 of 3Most students participating in programs at Northwest Community College spend time living in an isolated camp area. — Photo courtesy School of Exploration & Mining

3 of 3These students completed programs at the School of Exploration and Mining during 2011. — Photo courtesy School of Exploration & Mining

The Smithers campus of Northwest Community College’s School of Exploration and Mining (SEM) offers a unique approach to learning.

Students are offered the opportunity to study mining and exploration by living in a camp with First Nations elders who make the Smithers area their home. Completing a program that offers students the opportunity to learn about culturally inclusive relationships in regards to mining is a major advantage in today’s competitive industry.

“We have a full-time First Nation elder in the camp and she teaches them cultural crafts,” said Tony Harris, the employment advisor and industry liaison at Northwest Community College (NWCC). “Every evening they’ll have some kind of First Nation cultural event going on.”

First Nations communities are known for environmental stewardship and Harris believes that graduates of the SEM program will stand out in the competitive mining industry because of the program's diverse course structure. The program caters to people from all walks of life and offers cultural exposure for multicultural pupils. However, 75 per cent of the students are First Nations; some of them find it difficult to leave the environments they were raised in and the program caters to their needs.

“They’re going to a place where they know that we take their culture seriously, and as an educational institution, we want to make sure that we can support them on that level,” said Harris. “There are some issues that the First Nations population are dealing with a lot more than the rest of the population does.”

NWCC creates scenarios that allow students to be successful. Multicultural students have an opportunity to be exposed to aboriginal culture, which can help mining representatives initiate social change. This aspect of the program could help both parties profit from the natural resource industry. Participating in educational opportunities like this allows mining representatives to invest their resources in supportive communities.

75 per cent of students at NWCC are from First Nations backgrounds.
70 per cent of graduates from the School of Exploration and Mining at NWCC have found employment after completing the program or have returned to school.
Internship opportunities are available for students upon completion of some mining and exploration programs.
The School of Exploration and Mining in Smithers works in partnership with the Smithers Exploration Group and the Province of B.C.
Students at NWCC should be physically fit to meet the demands of the program.
Forbes magazine recently published an article that explains how to work more effectively with indigenous people.

For more information visit the SEM website.