Mr. Speaker, for many years, we had a problem filling entry-level vacancies for corrections officers with northern people who had the basic skills that would qualify them to be hired.
In 2009 the corrections service looked at the problem and developed a six-week training program to ensure we have a representative northern workforce in our corrections facilities. The end result is the Corrections Northern Recruit Training Program.
I am pleased to report that this program has been a success. On November 25th we added 12 more graduates to join the 52 who have gone before and are now trained to work in a security-related field in the NWT. Of the 64 graduates, 47 continue to be employed with the corrections service.
In addition to the classroom training for six weeks, each recruit also receives paid on-the-job training for up to four months in one of our corrections facilities.
At the end of the orientation, they are encouraged to apply for jobs. While we certainly hope they will choose to apply to openings in the Department of Justice, the training received is transferable to any security position.
This was the sixth session of this program and I want to inform the Members and the public that we continue to support this training. The next intake will be advertised in January, with the training to take place in Hay River.
In the words of one of the graduates, Mr. Don Cameron, at the November ceremony: “I think it
was the pride in the accomplishment, the work that we went through, the amount of information, the camaraderie, the unique environment that we were in; it all comes together.”
I ask my colleagues to encourage anyone they know who is interested in pursuing a career in the satisfying and rewarding field, to consider applying to the Corrections Northern Recruit Training Program as we work together to build a representative northern workforce. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr Abernethy. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
