Skills and Partnership Fund Provides Training for 161 Community Members to Prepare for Commercial Development Project.
The twinning of Highway 104 presents opportunities for Paqtnkek during and after construction of a commercial development area slated for the South side of the community. Community members are preparing to ready themselves to take advantage of jobs the construction project brings by harnessing funds available through a 1.3 million dollar grant received from the Skills and Partnership Fund in 2011. The fund is part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. The agency invested 210 million dollars over a period of five years to help communities create partnerships with private sector organizations, government, and community based organizations to foster economic growth among aboriginal communities. Paqtnkek’s award funds three years of participation in the plan.
Projects were funded based on criteria such as innovation in addressing employment gaps that many communities face. Paqtnkek is using the funds to provide training for employment opportunities along with skills development. Paqtnkek community members are helping to make the commercial development project a reality.
The commercial development project will bring increased self-sustainability and long-term success by empowering people by reducing poverty to improve the social well-being of all Paqtnkek community members.
The Skills and Partnership Fund helped train one hundred and ...
Tags: Aboriginal Affairs, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Academic Career Connections, Antigonish Chamber of Commerce, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Carpenters Millwright College, Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, Dexter Construction, Economic Development, Economic Rural Development Trade and Tourism, Encana Fund, EnCana; Nova Scotia Departments, Highway 104, KMKNO, Labour and advanced Education – Apprenticeship, Maritec, Maritime North Eastern Pipeline, Membertou Entrepreneur Centre, METS, Mi’kmaq Employment-Training Secretariat, Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office, Mi’kmaw Friendship Centre, Native Council of Nova Scotia, Neighbouring First Nation Communities, Nova Scotia Community College, Nova Scotia Tripartite Forum, NSAEP, NSCC, Paqtnkek, Post Terminal Security Officer, Skills and Partnership Fund, Sobey School of Business Development Centre, St. Mary’s University, TIANS, Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia
