Services

Employment & Training

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Department Description

The Employment & Training Department evolves each year to meet the changing needs of Life Long Learning for our clients. Under our funding guidelines we provide services to all Aboriginal clients within the traditional territories of the SQUAMISH AND TSLEIL WAUTUTH NATIONS.

Our goal is to help aboriginal clients succeed in their chosen field by ensuring employment and training initiatives are accessible. Partnerships with business,
community organizations and provincial and federal governments allow us to create opportunity and broaden the employment market for Aboriginals.

Three Divisions work as a culturally respectful team offering the very best possible services in our zone — from Indian Arm up to Whistler:

STITSMA EMPLOYMENT
ESLHA7AN LEARNING CENTRE
SQUAMISH NATION TRADES CENTRE

Stitsma Employment / Empowering your career journey

This department is an important resource for our First Nations community. We take a proactive approach to building a successful workforce. Clients come to us for a one-stop approach. We have a team of skilled and well trained staff to provide a variety of services.

We develop and support our clients in the 9 Essential Skills areas of: Reading Text, Document Use, Numeracy, Writing, Oral Communication, Working with Others, Thinking Skills, Computer use and Continuous Learning. We ensure our clients’ Essential Skills are developed so they can be successful in the training program they choose.

Take the first step to an exciting new career

• Meet with our intake advisors
• Take a Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES) Assessment
• Develop your personal career path with an employment counselor
• Register for programs offered under our umbrella at the Eslha7an Learning Centre / Squamish Nation Trades Centre or at an outside public training facility
• Upon completion of training we will assist with work placement

What else do we offer?

• Job Readiness Workshops — Career counseling, job search, resume writing.
• Youth Programs — Summer student employment, youth work experience, job creation partnerships.
• Essential Skills — Workshops (one-to-one).
• Plato Online Services — Individuals can go online to do Essential Skills or upgrading.
• Skill Building and Work Experience Programs — Job placements, trades, vocational training and certifications.
• Occupational Skills and Training — Training that is short term for Squamish Nation members only who are unemployed or underemployed.

Eslha7an Learning Centre / Your educational path to success

Eslha7an was developed in partnership with School District #44 to offer upgrading programs to adults and youth (16+). Our staff are a combination of Squamish and School District 44 employees who work as a team to support students in Literacy as well as obtaining their General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or Dogwood Diploma.  Also included in our curriculum is Squamish Language, Cultural History and Activities.  The following programs have successfully operated for the past 12 years.

Our Programs

Lightening Youth Program (T’xayusm) 16 – 19 years.
Limited to 15 students.
Mon – Wed 9:00 am – Noon
Thurs 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
This is an alternative education program for students to complete their Dogwood Diploma. Students can complete one or two courses to complete their Dogwood. Individual educations plans are designed for each student.

Discovering Wisdom Program (WaTelnexwstm ta Snewiyalh) 19 years and older. Limited to 25 students.
Mon – Thurs 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Fri 9:00 am – Noon
Students can enter this program to complete their GED. This is a full day program which includes essential skills, computer skills, Squamish Language as well as GED curriculum. This is the first education step to help students on their path to full time employment.

We are pleased to announce two exciting new programs to our students

ArrowMight Literacy Program is a self-paced program that can be done on site or at home. This program will help improve reading, writing and math skills and bring students up to a level where they can be successful in a training program. This is a unique program developed by and for aboriginal people. Working on this program only 1 hour per day, students can move from non-readers to readers in less than a year. Candice Halls-Howcroft is the ArrowMight Facilitator — call now to book an appointment.

Plato Software & Network System is now available to clients and students attending Eslha7an Learning Centre. This system offers Adult Education and GED Preparation Solutions to help adult learners achieve success. This exciting interactive software complements the regular program available to registered students. Also included in this system is Essential Skills Online — an e-learning program designed to help learners develop the essential skills they need for the jobs they are seeking.

How do you enroll in Eslha7an?

Eslha7an Admin/Student Support —first point of contact. All applications for entry to programs are processed through this individual. Students can also
be referred after a meeting with the employment counselor to complete a TOWES assessment. 

Adult Program Coordinator and Arrow Might Facilitator — receives application and will contact you for an interview and personal assessment. From
these assessments an individual education program is designed specifically for you. 

Two Teaching Staff and Three First Nation Support Staff / Squamish Lanuage & Culture Instructors — work with the Adult Program Coordinator to deliver the best possible service to each individual student.

Senior Employment Counselor/Instructor — will assist clients on PLATO Essential Skills Online and/or deliver Essential Skills Workshops. Upon completion of programs our Senior Counselor will meet with the individuals to ensure they are put on the right training/career path or assist in getting a job placement.

Squamish Nation Trades Centre / Building your future

Due to the tremendous need for trades training, the squamish nation trades centre was created. Building your future —this facility, located in North Vancouver, offers quality trades training to all First Nations people.

We develop trades training programs to meet current and future demands. Teaching and Support Staff work with the Adult Program Coordinator to deliver the best possible service to each individual student.

Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES)

We help develop and support our adult learners in the 9 Essential Skills areas of: Reading Text, Document Use, Numeracy, Writing, Oral Communication, Working with Others, Thinking Skills, Computer Use and Continuous Learning. We use towes to test skill levels in Reading Text, Document Use, and Numeracy.

Trades Programs

Programs are supported by Stitsma Employment and our partners Kwantlen Polytechnic University and VanAsep Training Society. First Nations Employment Society will be supporting our Essential Skills for the Trades, along with the Industry Training Authority (ITA) of British Columbia and VanAsep — to increase our success rate in the trades areas. The following trades courses lead to Red Seal Certification and are recognized by ita.

Carpentry Foundations (12 weeks with 6 weeks job placement)

Prerequisite: Grade 10 math or equivalent with a minimum of 3 months construction experience. First priority will be given to persons that are
unemployed and have not had an EI claim in the past 3 years.

The Carpentry Foundations Program provides you with certificates that will help you become more employable in the construction industry — along
with a focus on trade’s math to get you ready for the Carpentry Level 1 portion of the program. In the Carpentry Foundations course you will also take the 6 week Carpentry Level 1 course which consists of trade’s math, tool safety and basic carpentry training (introduction to framework, formwork and finishing).

Carpentry 1 (Red Seal Certified upon completion) - Carpentry 1 is a 6 week program. Students receive their first year towards their Red Seal Certification (upon completion of a 4 year program).

Carpentry 2 (Red Seal Certified upon completion) - After successful completion of 1250 work hours and Carpentry 1, you can register for Carpentry 2 which covers training in concrete, form work
and rigging.