Skills Training and Upgrading for Indigenous Peoples

Going back to school or learning new skills puts you on a path to a better, more interesting job. If you’re Indigenous, you can find skills-training or upgrading help with your needs in mind here.

Skills training

Skills training teaches skills for work. It often provides opportunities to practise these skills too.

• The Government of Canada funds the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) Program. Look for an Indigenous service delivery organization near you to find services in your area.

• Ask about skills training through your band.

• Check out employment, training, and job–readiness programs in your city.

Upgrading

OCCinfo

Post-Secondary Programs

Discover which institutions offer programs of interest to you, how long it takes to complete each program if you attend full time, and what type of credential you earn when you graduate from the program.

Upgrading gives you the academic skills you may need to find work or enrol in a post–secondary program.

• Aboriginal colleges offer upgrading in an environment that includes culturally relevant programming, counselling services and access to elders.

• Some public colleges offer upgrading programs for Indigenous peoples:

  • Bow Valley College Indigenous Foundational Learning

  • Indigenous University Bridging Program at Mount Royal University in Calgary

  • Northern Lakes College at Grouard and Slave Lake

  • Portage College at Lac La Biche, Cold Lake and St. Paul, Boyle, Frog Lake, Saddle Lake, Goodfish Lake

  • Keyano College at Fort McMurray, Fort Chipewyan, Conklin, Edmonton, Fort McKay, Gregoire Lake and Janvier

  • Red Deer Polytechnic

  • Lethbridge College

  • Medicine Hat College at Medicine Hat and Brooks