Industry champions are getting serious about interesting the younger generation in mining careers.

Each year, the Nunavut Mining Symposium gathers hundreds of industry-related workers in the capital to share information about multiple topics but, for the first time, youth engagement made it on the agenda.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat seemed to be a missing element was engaging the young people, because they are such an important part of our population,SA国际影视传媒� said Alex Buchan who, as a TMAC employee, sits on the mining symposiumSA国际影视传媒檚 steering committee.

SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of the things our industry is doing is going to affect their lives and provide opportunities going forward for generations to come.SA国际影视传媒�

To that end, the committee decided to choose two young people who live near each of the three operating mines SA国际影视传媒� Cambridge Bay, Baker Lake and Pond Inlet SA国际影视传媒� to participate in the symposium. Four of the youth SA国际影视传媒� Lee Qamanirq, Nolan Apaluktuq, Lance Akoluk and Morgan Carter SA国际影视传媒� formed a panel facilitated by Buchan. Those who came to listen and participate included representatives from mines, exploration companies, federal agencies, the territorial government, Inuit organizations, Nunavut Agreement institutions of public government, and Nunavut Arctic College, among others.

Buchan, who organizes community meetings, remarked that youth do not attend these informational events.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e noticed that itSA国际影视传媒檚 very hard to communicate between generations,SA国际影视传媒� said Buchan.

The youth agreed not many of their friends were interested in working at mines, which is likely because they didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know much about them.

Akoluk said he knows about mining, though he doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 work at one, because his father has been a long-time employee at Hope Bay, and he brought core samples home.

SA国际影视传媒淵our dad has been pivotal with Hope Bay. He can split core like nobody else. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 so heartening to hear that he has core there in your home and that he talks a little bit about what he does to you,SA国际影视传媒� said Buchan.

SA国际影视传媒淏ecause maybe that doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 always happen.SA国际影视传媒�

Qamanirq works for Baffinland, and had just completed his second two-week rotation. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 an adjustment. He misses his two-year-old son.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 different, two weeks on, two weeks off. ISA国际影视传媒檓 missing time with my family, but at the same time ISA国际影视传媒檓 helping my family. And, at the same time, ISA国际影视传媒檓 gaining new family with the people I work with,SA国际影视传媒� said Qamanirq.

SA国际影视传媒淚nuit have an opportunity if they wish to go to Baffinland. They just have to have the drive and willingness to do it, make sacrifices. There is an opportunity for Inuit to make a difference for themselves, and their future.SA国际影视传媒�

Apaluktuq works at Agnico EagleSA国际影视传媒檚 Meadowbank mine, and is following the companySA国际影视传媒檚 career path program.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat is more job security for me and, even right now, I feel ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to retire with Agnico,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淎gnico Eagle is 100 per cent with you.SA国际影视传媒�

Getting youth into the industry, without four years away from home

The youth noted they hadnSA国际影视传媒檛 ever heard much about mining in their school setting.

This spurred manager of Inuit employment and training with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association Michelle Buchan, who is a former teacher, to share her thoughts.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen you talk about not knowing anything about mining, I understand. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot to learn,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 go into the schools in our region whenever I can and one of the things that I noticed when I get in there SA国际影视传媒� I get the students to brainstorm SA国际影视传媒� what kind of jobs are there in the mining industry. The can usually come up with about five.SA国际影视传媒�

But Buchan confirmed there are more than a hundred.

SA国际影视传媒淲e do not have guidance counsellors in our schools anymore. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 been at least 10 years. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 a crime. How else are we supposed to get the youth to know whatSA国际影视传媒檚 going on out there,SA国际影视传媒� she asked.

Industrial arts or trades arenSA国际影视传媒檛 generally taught in schools, either, as a springboard to related careers.

Director of technical services for the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) Tara Arko explained how the regulator reorganized itself two years ago, and with that found an innovative way to transition high school graduates into its Cambridge Bay office.

SA国际影视传媒淏eing a very technical industry and technical department, we were seeing more and more barriers to youth being accessible right out of high school. Youth should not have to go and get a four-year degree to come back home and be able to practice in the territory, to be participating in regulation, that kind of thing,SA国际影视传媒� said Arko.

SA国际影视传媒淧art of our reorganization was to establish several direct out of high school work experience build-up positions.SA国际影视传媒�

Arko pointed to two young women with her in the audience as examples of local hires who moved into and advanced from those positions, and are now classified as junior technical advisors. Two new high-school-graduate hires have filled the original build-up positions.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd we would expect them over the next four years to mentor into a very technical department,SA国际影视传媒� said Arko.

After an hour-and-a-half discussion, the session closed with Akoluk thanking the mining symposium for inviting them to participate, as well as everyone for coming to the session.

The panel and those in attendance agreed that the mining symposium should continue with the youth ambassador program, with delegates departing with much food for thought as conversations spilled out into the hallway.