The Little Pine First Nation Lifeskills and Job Placement department, has aided 70 members of the Little Pine First Nation in finding new employment in Lloydminster in the past month.
According to a press release, this brings the number of members newly employed in Lloydminster to over 100 since the program began in August of 2012. This means the number of Little Pine members receiving social assistance will have decreased by 33 per cent in one year.
"As leaders of our communities, we have a responsibility to provide avenues for individuals in our community to become self-sufficient," says Little Pine First Nation Chief Wayne Semaganis.
"We must also look for our own business opportunities to create long term employment,
"As leaders we have eliminated many of the barriers that face our people. We are proud and happy to see so many people make a positive change for themselves and their children."
"I am very impressed with the working relationships with the City of Lloydminster, the business community and Little Pine First Nation," says Little Pine First Nation Councillor Serinda Baptiste. She is in charge of the Lifeskills and Job Placement Program.
"I thank the employers in the City of Lloydminster for the opportunity to work with them and the Little Pine membership for taking a leap into the workforce. I look forward to seeing more employment opportunities for Little Pine members."
The program helps the members search for work and acts as a liaison between the business community in Lloydminster and the membership of Little Pine. The program is aided by a shuttle program supplied by the First Nation to transport workers from the community to work. Many of the new workers are highly trained individuals who have been unable to secure employment in the area surrounding the First Nation.
The program is jointly funded by Little Pine First Nation and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Costs of the program also include training upgrades when necessary to enable the members to obtain employment.
Members have been recently employed at the Husky Upgrader, by Onion Lake Enterprises, the exhibition grounds and in the oil and gas, agriculture and hotel industries.
