The Chamber of Commerce heard a pitch of collaboration and cooperation from the Yorkton Tribal Council YTC last week.
Wilfred Whitehawk, career advisor with the YTC Adult Training and Employment Department, spoke to the Chamber Luncheon March 16 outlining the services his organization offers and how it can help Yorkton business.
Whitehawk noted that the agency serves the six member First Nations but also all the local towns and rural municipalities and not just First Nations people, but anybody who needs services.
Those services include, he said, client assessment, development of action plans, resume and cover letter preparation, Internet access, and job search and training assistance.
In order to provide the service YTC partners with a variety of educational institutions and local businesses to provide three major programs. These are the Work Experience Partnership, wherein students receive work experience during their studies; the Apprenticeship Partnership, wherein a YTC client is indentured into a employer until they achieve journeyman status; and Transition to Employment partnership, which involves wage subsidies to employers while they provide on-the-job training.
Whitehawk said these provide benefits to both the employee and employer. The employee gets a foot in the door, gains an upper hand in securing employment, and learns the skills needed to succeed.
The employer receives a cost savings on initial wages, an opportunity to mold an employee to their requirements and the potential to gain a valuable long-term asset.
