Labrador - Aboriginal Human Resource Council

• Business needs labour market information.
• Employers need to go directly into
Aboriginal communities and let them know
what jobs are available.
• Need better joint planning for both the
demand and supply of labour.
• Need for long-term sustainable employment;
entry-level compensation isn’t enough.
• Need to connect training with the jobs that
are available now and in the future.
• Need different strategies for skilled trained
workers as opposed to untrained workers.
• Source locally: Conduct cross-cultural
awareness training in communities where
companies recruit.
• The high number of retirements is adding
increased pressure to expand.
• Available, affordable housing is sometimes
an issue.
• Expose youth to the apprenticeship system.
• Recruitment should begin at the high
school level.
• Better linkages should take place between
the education system and employers.
• Involve people in community (i.e.,
elders, council).
• There is a lack of connections
with employers.
• Mobility of workers is required; sometimes
this is an issue for some Aboriginal people.
People with an established life can’t leave
their jobs and homes to spend threeyears
working for a degree. They need to
achieve this through on-the-job training. This
could be done if employers could provide
accommodations and helicopter time.
• Need websites for job seekers.
• AHRDAs lack the capacity to update
databanks of job seekers.
• We need a Labrador-wide databank.
• Some candidates lack experience.
• There is a shortage of journey-persons in
the area.
• Employers should be offering work for all
trades terms to job seekers.
• There are housing issues at Voisey’s Bay.
• Adult basic education is an issue.
• Need to upgrade current employees for
the future.
• High labour costs due to a number of
short-term jobs at high wages.
• Need long-term training linked to careers.
• Language is a challenge.
Participants were separated into groups and were
asked to respond to a number of questions. The
following is a summary of the responses from the
various groups:
Barriers to Recruitment and Retention
What challenges and frustrations do companies
face with regard to the recruitment and retention
of an Aboriginal workforce
• Need trained/skilled employed people.
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