Matawa First Nations Management launch employment agency
From the Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal, July 21, 2005 -http://www.chroniclejournal.com/story.shtml?id=28165
Job agency launched
Matawa First Nations Management has launched a new employment and training division, hoping to curb high unemployment levels in the region’s First Nations communities.
The division — launched Wednesday and based in Matawa’s office on Court Street in Thunder Bay — will offer employment services, including a job bank, job placements, apprenticeships, training, employment counselling, and support for adults looking to return to school.
The office will deal with Matawa’s 10 member First Nations, said Bruce Visitor, Matawa director of operations.
“We have six staff at this point in time,” Visitor said, adding there are representatives in each member community to help people there.
“The training aspect of our program will be very essential and important,” said division manager Morris Wapoose. “If you don’t receive training, then you can’t . . . compete in the labour market.”
Larry Spence, the division’s community development officer, said the division will help address the unemployment problem on First Nations.
“A lot of our youths are unemployed,” he said. “We need to get them the training so they can secure employment.”
Also Wednesday, Mattawa introduced the division’s new web page, accessible through http://matawa.on.ca