SADDLE LAKE – The Saddle Lake Career Fair and Trade Show on Aug. 25 saw various organizations offer job seekers potential opportunities. Tables were also set up at the Manitou Kihew Arena to showcase an assortment of merchandise by local, small business owners.
Tanis Redcrow, the Career Fair 2022 coordinator, said the event went well and was a step toward normality, considering COVID shutdowns over the last couple of years. The event saw a good turnout with over 55 participating organizations and vendors in the career fair, and over 15 vendors in the trade show.
“On the tradeshow portion, [tables] were offered free to vendors so they could come make a little bit of profit and show their wares,” said Redcrow. “With the career fair, we had quite a bit of a turnout and one of my hopes is that we get a lot of employment happening after this.”
The Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) is a labour union representing a variety of companies in multiple industries. The group was on hand to promote skilled trades and apprenticeship pathways. Kari-Anne March, with CLAC, said there is a massive demand for skilled trade workers across Canada due to a great amount of the workforce retiring.
“We need young people to look at skilled trades as a viable career option, and not just a secondary back-up plan,” said March.
Vinette Kooger, also with CLAC, said they are motivated by the great pool of young Indigenous people in Alberta, particularly Treaty No. 6 territory. “We love coming out to meet all of the young people and we’re excited to see what they can offer to the skilled-trades workforce.”
Among the companies at the career fair was Peyasew Oilfield Services. The company provides heavy equipment training. Gabe Collins, a construction manager with the company, said, “The skills we teach students is basically operation and understanding of equipment.”
He explained that students receive hands-on experience with a variety of heavy equipment, since it is difficult for people to get into some industrial companies without prior experience.
Ridgeline Canada provides a variety of environmental services and was also present to offer career opportunities. Jay Woosaree, Indigenous Training Advisor, said Ridgeline is working with post-secondary institutions to train people interested with a career in environmental services.
Sgt. Meg Kennedy, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), also provided information on opportunities available to Indigenous peoples to join CAF, including summer training programs, the Canadian Armed Forces Indigenous Entry Program (CAFIEP), and the Aboriginal Leadership Opportunties Year (ALOY). ALOY provides one-year educational and leadership experience at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in Kingston, Ont., according to Kennedy.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Lakeland Primary Care Network (PCN) were also available providing information on opportunities available to people looking into a career in healthcare.
Trade Show
Onto the other side of the career fair, vendors, including Jilleon Steinhauer, were selling a variety of wares. Steinhauer said, “We’re selling beaded jewelry, bags, skirts, we have bonnets, and just a lot of jewelry to.”
The first and one of the only two Boys and Girls Clubs within First Nations communities across Canada, BGC Saddle Lake, is a non-profit boys and girls club that operates in Saddle Lake. Stacey Harrison, executive director, said the club has been running for 30 years.
“We’re starting our programming for the fall sessions and we’re going to have after-school drop-in programs,” said Harrison. “We’re hiring new after-school program staff, restorative justice staff, and hopefully we can get some programs running for the kids here.”
Speaking to the success of this year’s career fair, Redcrow says, “I hope this is something that we can continue to do, because we opened up to everybody.” She said she is thankful to everyone involved, from vendors, employers and recruiters, as well as to the public.
“Especially here in Saddle Lake, not everybody has access to the internet, and they don’t get to see what kind of companies and organizations are there,” she explained. “This opened it up to let them know these people are out there and they are looking for employment.”
