Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Support for apprentices is a key part of the Government of the Northwest Territories’ plan to maximize opportunities for Northwest Territories residents and contributes to achieving this Assembly’s goals of healthy, educated people and a diversified economy. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment, along with our partners and apprentices, celebrate the success of the Northwest Territories apprentices and journeypersons during the Northwest Territories Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Week, February 7th to 11th.
The department supports training and certification in 53 designated trades. Thirty are eligible for interprovincial Red Seal endorsement. In addition, the department supports certification in 25 designated occupations.
Currently there are 421 apprentices in the Northwest Territories. More than half are Aboriginal. We invest over $1 million in apprenticeship technical training and another million dollars in job wage subsidies each year, available to employers of Northwest Territories apprentices.
For the 2009-2010 academic year the department issued 110 certificates for qualification, 69 with interprovincial Red Seal endorsement, to journeypersons. We also issued nine certificates of competence for people in designated occupations. During February and March each regional Education, Culture and Employment service centre holds apprenticeship and occupation certification awards ceremonies recognizing academic achievement of apprentices. Forty-one apprentices will receive top mark for achieving the highest mark in their respective trade or occupation during the 2009-2010 academic year.
Mr. Speaker, I invite you and other Members of this House to join me in congratulating the Northwest Territories apprentices and certified journeypersons. I also want to take this opportunity to thank and recognize our many partners in apprenticeship training, skilled trades and occupational certification. In particular, we want to acknowledge the employers who participate in the program and without whom the program could not exist.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
