Photo courtesy of: PVNCCDSB
More than 200 Indigenous students from 26 schools across the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board gathered at Trent University for the board’s second annual Indigenous Skilled Trades Fair.
The event on May 21st, offered hands-on experiences for students in Grades 7 to 12, featuring activities like hide scraping, quilling, and framing, as well as a tour of the Skills Ontario Trades and Tech Truck.
“The reason we’ve been putting on this event for the last two years is that we want Indigenous students… to know that their cultural knowledge can help them get a career in the skilled trades,” said Cydney Habraken, PVNC Catholic Indigenous Education Coach.
The fair featured Indigenous tradespeople and companies that integrate culture into their work, offering students an opportunity to connect their identity with future careers.
“We want an opportunity for our Indigenous students to be able to see themselves in these types of positions and jobs,” said Jo Denley, Student Success Learning Consultant.
