Labrador - Aboriginal Human Resource Council

• Improve AHRDA planning process,
including flexibility.
• Planning process, include all stakeholders
involved and encourage someone to take
the lead.
• Lack of accessible labour market
information:
– client
– support agencies.
• Lack of initiative of private sector to meet/
come to the Aboriginal community to discuss
labour market information.
• Lack of awareness about the unique needs
of the Aboriginal workforce.
• Lack of joint planning process for human
resource development.
• Construction side – skilled trades people.
• Mining – larger size equipment.
• Opportunities:
– skilled trades people
– supervisors: professionals, engineers
– mining, electrical
– retirement issues
– expansion.
• How to prepare to fill vacancies when
two-thirds of the workforce retires.
• Running own supervisor training, have
a workforce plan in place, 100
plus vacancies.
• Retention issues: there is competition of
wages with the west (i.e., Alberta).
• Aboriginal numbers in Iron Ore are
low. Need a more diverse workforce.
Suggestion: clients find it hard to
contact Iron Ore; perhaps increase
human resource personnel.
• Construction sector:
– seasonal
– this years’ season is 50 per cent longer
than prior years
– factor: securing tires for big equipment
impacts duration of season.
• Training – if pre-trained, employees are
more attractive.
• Preservation of equipment passed to
potential employees – if they have
simulation training – helps
(portable training).
• Need technical solutions for lower
level skills.
• The high-tech simulator in Lab West is
currently underutilized.
• We are at a point where Aboriginal
groups and organizations are building
partnerships/relationships on their own
without being mandated.
• Need improved coordination between
business and Aboriginal groups to recruit
and make it more attractive for
potential employees.
• Expose youth to careers and the way of life
associated with the jobs early. Example:
Iron Ore visits schools to talk about
career opportunities.
• AHRDAs need to target careers where
employees are in high demand.
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