Leveraging Partnerships for Maximum Results

1. The Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario Leveraging Partnerships for Maximum Results June 2014

2. Purpose The purpose of this presentation is to: • Provide an overview of the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO) • Identify the basic foundation of successful partnerships • Discuss AABO successes as a result of our partnerships

3. What is AABO? • 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. • Completely non-funded organization.

4. Put the End in Site • 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

5. Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO) AABO Board Secretariat Sara 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

6. Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO) • STRATEGY: • OUTREACH - to increase awareness and promotion of the trades • MARKETING & PROMOTION – to increase knowledge of available programs and services in the trades • 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 • PARTNERSHIP – facilitate collaboration of all stakeholders to develop solutions to increase Aboriginal participation in apprenticeships and skilled trades • 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 • 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 • FINANCE – pursue funding through various sources for implementation of Strategy

7. What does AABO do? • 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 • AABO is composed of Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS) holders, industry, and other community organizations. • Acts as a central point of contact between industry and the ASETS holders.

9. The Foundation of Effective Partnerships

10. Foundation of a successful partnership • Peace • Friendship • Mutual respect

11. Your role as a partner • Know your environment 2. Know your strengths 3. Keep the end in sight 4. Stay open minded

12. Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario • AABO was created from the ground up by First Nation, Inuit and Metis ASETAs in partnership with the Ontario apprenticeship stakeholder community; • ASETAs have partnered through AABO to support their clients with increased access to jobs in construction leading to careers in the industry; • AABO has connected ASETA holders 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

13. Partnerships – Ontario Apprenticeship Stakeholder Community • 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 . • ASETA holders 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

14. Capacity / Governance • Not all things are created equal for ASETAs given employment opportunities in service delivery area range from good to bad; • The economies of scale for ASETAs are challenged to take advantage of employment opportunities and grow given limited human and financial resources (small, medium and large); • Some ASETAs have adapted to change over the years while others maintain the status quo e.g., politics versus bureaucracies; and • GREAT is a leader and can demonstrate how to adapt to change while not forgetting who they work for… “community / individual”

15. LINK Aboriginal Supply with Employer Demand • 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 Skills Employment and Training Agreement holders, such as GREAT house the inventory of skilled Aboriginal workers; and • GREAT supports clients acquire academic/training credentials, prepares them for the interview; and follows up with client/employer

16. Some Successes • 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 with GREAT setting examples and building on their successes: • 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

17. Some Successes ….. continued • 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

18. Take Away • 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 / GREAT. • Successful partnerships are created based on a common goal and are mutually beneficial to all parties. • Be creative when thinking about potential partners!

19. Take Away cont…. Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO) Website www.aabo.ca Sara Monture, Executive Director – saramonture@aabo.ca