Nation Education Guide 2016
The best way to set yourself up for future success in life is to invest in education and network with the friends and colleagues around you to turn that education into meaningful employment and a satisfying career.
Developing the knowledge and the skills to pursue a field that makes the most of your potential is as challenging as it is rewarding. If you start planning now and make a realistic assessment of what motivates you and makes you passionate, the next step is determining how to gain the expertise you need to do what you love.
Some find it difficult deciding what program is right for them. Not everyone may feel as though they have a single calling or clear vision for their work life. Thankfully there are a number of options available to those looking to hone their skills, embark on a new education experience or simply return to school to take on a new challenge and shift into a different industry.
Numerous colleges and universities in northern Quebec have programs specifically designed for First Nations students that are based around the employment needs and job opportunities within Eeyou Istchee. Whether you are looking for a college diploma, university degree, technical certificate or continuing education, the academic options available to members of the Cree Nation outlined here can help you prepare for your studies and equip you to succeed in a career of your choosing.
In the North
If you’re looking to pursue further education or professional training within Eeyou Istchee, the Cree School Board’s Sabtuan Regional Vocational Training Centre has a wide range of interesting and exciting programs to help you develop the skills you need to achieve gainful employment.
While the main facility is located in Waswanipi, Sabtuan offers a variety of academic courses and trade programs throughout the James Bay area, including Chisasibi, Mistissini, Nemaska and Wemindji. Keep an eye out for additional upcoming cohorts as new start dates are announced throughout the year for many other interesting courses, such as Bus Driving, Trucking, Professional Cooking, Carpentry, Computing Support and Home Care Assistance.
Here is a list with course descriptions of Sabtuan’s programs that will be offered in the coming year:
Chisasibi:
Starting a Business – start date to be confirmed. The Starting a Business course is a 330-hour program instructed in English that teaches project management skills and helps potential entrepreneurs develop and prepare their own business plan. If you have an idea for a business or would like to eventually strike out on your own as an independent business owner, here’s your chance to learn the concrete steps to do so successfully. The course is offered in both Chisasibi and Wemindji and has no academic prerequisites.
Accounting – Winter 2016, start date to be confirmed. Thinkers, mathematicians and those who enjoy managing money and budgeting are some of the personality types commonly found amongst accountants. Graduates of the Sabtuan accounting program master manual and digital accounting tasks, learn how to manage and maintain bookkeeping and demonstrate bilingual communication skills. This course is delivered in English and consists of 1,350 hours.
Secretarial Studies – Start date January 25. Secretarial Studies lasts 1,485 hours and is in English, introduces those interested in a career in administration how to work efficiently and effectively in the workplace. This program caters to organized, sharp-minded individuals and teaches essential office skills such as producing, updating and proofreading business documents, utilizing word processing, database and spreadsheet computer software and using telecommunication tools. Students will also develop their knowledge of labour laws and write business texts in both English and French.
Registration for the accounting and secretarial studies programs in Chisasibi closes very soon, but both courses are on regular rotation in Sabtuan’s schedule and are offered in several Eeyou communities each year.
Mistissini:
Electricity – starts March 14. Sabtuan’s Electricity program is delivered in English and involves 1800 hours of class time. Students familiarize themselves with electrical drawings, specifications, technical manuals and maintenance procedures and learn to verify the voltage, current and power of electrical circuits. Program objectives include learning to install, repair, modify and maintain circuits, electronic systems and communication networks. If you’re good with your hands and enjoy problem solving, this course will give you the chance to see the inner workings of a heavily relied upon essential service.
Nemaska:
Plastering – starts Winter 2016. The Plastering course offered in Nemaska equips its students with the practical skills of applying plaster on a variety of surfaces, using both a trowel and a machine, attaching metal mouldings, sealing gypsum sheets joints, carrying out plaster moulding work and placing prefabricated ornamental elements. This is the type of practical training ideal for those interested in renovations and interior construction. Over the course of 810 hours, students learn everything there is to know about the trade while studying and applying the health-and-safety standards associated with this occupation.
Waswanipi:
Hotel Reception – registration opens soon, start date to be confirmed. Hotel Reception is taught in English and is a 735-hour course. Students learn the ins and outs of maintaining guest registry books, answering client inquiries concerning hotel services, and using computerized and manual systems to handle administration duties in a hotel setting. If you’re a multi-talented person with customer service and computer skills, a Hotel Reception certificate could be your ticket to a comfortable job at a front desk.
Northern Heavy Equipment Operations – registration opens soon, start date is May 20. This program teaches the basic principles of construction infrastructure as well as the knowledge and application of safety regulations in the industry. This is your chance to hop on industrial vehicles, move tons of earth and materials, and get started in the heavy lifting aspect of construction. Students learn how to maintain heavy machinery and master the operation of different types of machines through a hands-on approach and comprehensive class experience. The course is delivered in English and lasts 900 hours.
Wemindji:
Mining Mobile Mechanics, Semi-Automatic Welding and Starting a Business – The mining and welding courses are new offerings from Sabtuan that are currently in development with start date announcements coming soon.
The Sabtuan Regional Vocational Training Centre in Waswanipi is also offering a course in Semi-Automatic Welding, along with a program on Storekeeping and Information Systems for Motorized Equipment taught in French starting on March 19. More information regarding the content and duration of these new courses should be available soon on the Sabtuan website.
For any information on Sabtuan’s Regional Vocational Training Programs and a list of the other programs that will be available in the future, check out Sabtuan Vocational Programs, call 418-923-2764 ext. 321, toll free at 1-844-923-3347 or e-mail sabtuanadulted@cscree.qc.ca.
Courses in Chibougamau
Cégep de Saint-Félicien, through the Centre for Collegial Studies in Chibougamau, has a wide variety of training adapted for Crees and the northern job market.
First and foremost, the Chibougamau Centre provides a range of training in childcare and social work. The Native Childcare Services program ensures its graduates meet the required employment needs of childcare service workers in Eeyou Istchee. The program is delivered over 1455 hours often within the communities themselves. Last year, training was offered in Chisasibi and Oujé-Bougoumou and a new cohort begins in January in Mistissini.
The Special Needs Educator Profession for Aboriginal and Inuit Children program is now in its 16th year and is regularly taught within the territory. This 915-hours course is structured to equip students with the necessary skills to intervene in the daily lives of families and children to facilitate prevention, re-education and rehabilitation. Last year, the program was offered in Mistissini; this year, it will be hosted in Waskaganish.
Other interesting options for First Nations students available through the Chibougamau Centre, include several tourism-based programs (like Land Products Development) and environment-based programs (like Building Environmental and Aboriginal Human Resources (BEAHR), www.eco.ca/beahr/).
All of Cégep de Saint Felicien’s training programs that are offered at the Chibougamau location are accredited by the Quebec Ministry of Education and earn their graduates a Quebec college diploma. Those interested in learning more about these programs and other courses offered by the school are invited to call the Chibougamau Centre for Collegial Studies at 418-748-3903, ext. 223.
Courses in Val-d’Or
Cégep de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue has a campus in Val-d’Or complete with a First Nations Student Services department that provides academic support and responds to the different needs of Aboriginal students. Also on campus is the Salon des Premières Nations where students can study, relax, participate in workshops and group discussions, and engage with peers in both French and English.
The Cégep provides a wide range of full-time courses, offers Continuing Education services and gives individualized training and short programs that can be hosted on site in different communities. The Val-d’Or campus offers accounting, special education, child education, management, marketing and customer service, and administration courses in French, delivered in a First Nation and Inuit context.
Cegep A-T First Nations department
The Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) offers a number of programs tailored to First Nations students, instructed both in French and in English depending on student demand.
While Aboriginal students have access to all of UQAT’s programs, the university has also developed specific courses aimed towards the unique cultural and learning approaches of First Nations and Inuit. The goal of these classes is to adapt teaching styles and class resources that incorporate Aboriginal perspectives and use course material and class examples that accurately reflect Aboriginal realities.
If you’re looking for university education not too far outside the Cree Nation that caters to Native students, take a look at the variety of culturally sensitive programs that UQAT has to offer:
Aboriginal Training and Programs Development Unit: University Studies Preparatory Program, Certificate in Aboriginal Studies, Undergraduate short program in Aboriginal Tourism Management, Undergraduate Short Program in Childhood-Family Intervention in an Aboriginal context.
Management: Certificate in Human Resources Management, Certificate in Administration, Certificate in Management and Regional Development, Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA).
Education: Certificate in Plastic Arts, Certificate in Primary Education for Substitute Teachers, Bachelor Degree in Preschool Education and Primary Teaching.
Human and Social Development: Bachelor of Social Work
Creation and New Media: Certificate in Digital Creation
For those looking to study in French, UQAT offers a similar range of programs with a few additional options:
Unité de formation et de développement des programmes autochtones :
Programme préparatoire aux études universitaires, Certificat en études autochtones, Microprogramme de 1er cycle en études autochtones, Microprogramme de 1er cycle en gestion du tourisme autochtone, Microprogramme de 1er cycle en intervention enfance-famille en contexte autochtone.
Gestion : Certificat en arts plastiques, Certificat en accompagnement à l’enseignement primaire, Microprogramme de 1er cycle de formation à l’enseignement d’une langue seconde en contexte autochtone, Baccalauréat en éducation préscolaire et en enseignement primaire.
Développement humain et social : Baccalauréat en travail social
Création et nouveaux médias : Certificat en création numérique
The deadline to apply to UQAT is March 1 for full-time studies and June 1 for part-time studies. For more information on the wide range of services, programs and resources UQAT has for Aboriginal students, visit the UQAT First Peoples site or call 819-874-8728.
Université du Québec Abitibit-Temiscamingue
Sabtuan Regional Vocational Centre in Waswanipi
Still overwhelmed or unsure of what you’d like to study? Dissatisfied with your current or hoping to branch out into something new?
Cree Human Resources Development (CHRD) supports the Sabtuan Regional Vocational programs mentioned above but also provides members of the Cree Nation with comprehensive training and upgrading of skills, employment placement, targeted wage subsidies, self-employment assistance and career counselling.
CHRD can offer you advice on getting started on your career path and set you up for institutional training in the field you’d like to work in. They also help both individuals and organizations secure funding for training fees, travel expenses and salaries.
In short, CHRD is there to help both Cree and non-Cree achieve meaningful employment and acquire the training and skills they need to secure a job in their field of interest. Visit the CHRD website, e-mail info@chrd.ca or contact the Mistissini office at 418-923-2525.
Outside the north
Post-secondary students from Eeyou Istchee have a wealth of opportunities to expand their horizons in the south, whether it is in Quebec, Ontario or elsewhere in Canada.
Quebec institutions
John Abbott College
This English-language Cégep is nestled on the far western tip of the Island of Montreal in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, a beautiful leafy town that bustles to student life centred on the large historic campus.
John Abbott College collaborates with Aboriginal communities to offer services and programs to encourage and support the academic success and retention of Aboriginal students.
Services include the Aboriginal Student Resource Centre, a comfortable and welcoming place where students can come and relax, work, talk, get tutoring and counselling. The centre works in collaboration with Aboriginal communities and institutions such as the Cree School Board and Kativik School Board postsecondary student services.
A two-semester program prepares Cree students for the college stream of their choice and helps others who are unsure of their career path to explore their options.
Kiuna Institution
Kiuna Institution offers a college education specialized for First Nations students in the picturesque Abenaki community of Odanak, located 110 km northeast of Montreal. Kiuna’s programming is based on the culture, social background and interests of Aboriginal students while still adhering to provincial standards.
If you are looking to move into a mainstream Cégep, Kiuna offers an integration term followed by a transition term so that new students more easily adapt to college life. Once transition terms are completed, students can take Kiuna’s unique First Nations Social Science program.
This multifaceted approach to an Aboriginal-developed college education is a great way to learn about citizenship and responsibility, First Nations rights, socioeconomic development and self-government, as well as traditional culture and the history of First Nations.
A graduate of Kiuna College
Dawson College
On the west side of downtown Montreal, Dawson College offers great technical programs and excellent pre-university instruction. These include respected fine arts, theatre, design and science programs not available at other public institutions. This is the case for several specialized medical and information technology programs. In some cases, Dawson is the only college offering these programs in English.
The Dawson First Peoples Initiative is working on developing an Indigenous Studies Certificate, which should be available to students by Fall 2017. In the meantime, several courses offer considerable (or full) Indigenous Studies content. Feel free to directly contact teachers to find out details about course content.
Vanier College
The Nation’s very own in-house copy editor Martin Siberok is a journalism prof at Vanier, so we can testify to this Cégep’s quality faculty. Vanier, in fact, is a creative arts powerhouse, and is the only public English-language Cégep to offer a fully accredited music program.
Besides a strong selection of career programs (including Nursing, Special Care Counselling and Architectural Technology), Vanier has special pre-university double DEC programs, where students do their core courses in two different programs over a three-year period. Vanier also offers double DECS in Modern Languages and Music; Science and Music; and Social Science and Music.
Available as well are special pre-university double DEC programs, where students do their core courses in two different programs over a three-year period. While a heavy load, those undecided about going to med school or into law or the arts may find this a good option.
With faculty and staff, students can get involved in the Vanier Indigenous Circle. The Circle supports the personal wellbeing and academic goals of Aboriginal students during their time at the college. This can include anything from providing support during the transition from a small community to an urban setting, understanding college life, developing effective study skills, or providing a safe social network for students to get together.
Champlain Regional College
Champlain College is on Montreal’s South Shore, just minutes away from the Longueuil-Université de Sherbrooke métro station. Built on the principle of keeping labs and classes small, Champlain emphasizes personal attention and feedback from teachers.
Champlain is the only English-language public Cégep that provides a college education in three distinct regions of Quebec. The Lennoxville, St. Lambert, and St. Lawrence campuses offer a wide range of pre-university and technical programs, as well as extensive on and off campus Continuing Education services.
Since last summer, the St. Lambert campus has partnered with Kahnawake’s First Nations Adult Education School Council to develop both a preparatory program and adapted First Nations Early Childhood Education program to address unemployment and underemployment issues experienced in the young adult (18-24) population. The program targets barriers to entry in college-level courses and ensures that this target market is properly prepared for acceptance into the AEC program and that students obtain the competencies to enter into the field of Early Childhood Education.
Heritage College
Heritage College is West Quebec’s only English-language Cégep and is a solid option for those who want to study at a school near Ottawa.
Heritage offers pre-university programming in the fields of Liberal Arts, Science and Social Sciences with variations for those who want to pursue either Commerce or Mathematics options. In terms of career programs, Heritage features programs in Accounting and Management Technology, Computer Science, Early Childhood Care and Education, Hotel and Restaurant Management, New Media and Publication Design, and Tourism.
The Aboriginal Education Council at Heritage advises on educational issues affecting the Aboriginal student population. The Council submits recommendations on Aboriginal-specific program courses and external funding applications. It is also a resource on all subjects relating to the education and support needs of the college’s Aboriginal population.
Private Colleges in Quebec
Quebec hosts many prestigious private intuitions. The following is a sampling of English-language institutions in Montreal.
Marianopolis College
High up the hill in post-Westmount, Marianopolis College is the only private option in Quebec that offers pre-university courses, an interesting option for highly competitive students looking to apply to major Canadian or US universities.
With smaller teacher-to-student ratios, students are guaranteed the extra attention they might need to get that leg up for med school, law school or other university programs. Marianopolis offers standard Science, Social Science, Commerce, Creative Arts, Literature and Languages, Music, Arts and Science and Music pre-university programs. They also offer several double DEC courses.
Inter-Dec College / LaSalle College
Inter-Dec College and LaSalle College offer one of Canada’s most recognized fashion design programs, as well as tourism, business, management, social science and E-learning programs that are unavailable elsewhere.
Located in downtown Montreal, these sister colleges offer distinct programming to develop specialty skills. Inter-Dec has career technical training in a number of fields but not the necessary credits to graduate with a DEC. They instead offer specialized courses with Attestations of Collegial Studies (AEC), Diplomas of Professional Studies (DEP) or In-House Diplomas (AE). This school is designed for those who want to get into the job market immediately or are already working in their field and want to improve their skills.
LaSalle offers a unique selection of pre-university and technical DEC programs, all of which lead either to accelerated university studies or straight to a job. Many of their programs are not available elsewhere in English. It should be noted that LaSalle is the largest bilingual college in North America and features five specialty schools with over 60 programs.
LaSalle also offers a number of E-learning courses that can be completed remotely, including: Event Planning and Management, E-Business, Fashion Marketing, Videogame 3D Modeling, Multimedia Integration, Infographic Design, Interior Design, and Administrative Assistant.
Trebas Institute
There’s no business but show business at Montreal’s Trebas Institute. Focussed on the entertainment industry, Trebas offers exclusive programs in audio engineering and artist management.
With programs for Entertainment Management, Event and Venue Management, Film and Television Production and Post-Production, Trebas is a high-end college with unique programming – Trebas can even train you in DJ arts.
Montreal Universities
Montreal is a world-renowned city, but part of what gives the city its edge is its four large universities. While each has its own reputation, some of the fields of excellence that Montreal is recognized for include medicine, education, law, hard science and social sciences.
McGill University
Often on the list of top universities across the world, Canada’s Ivy League school attracts world-renowned professors and researchers in many scientific, legal and medical fields. Top marks and work habits will be a requirement simply for acceptance to the McGill campus in downtown Montreal.
Last year, McGill launched an Indigenous Studies program under its Institute for the Study of Canada, an interdisciplinary minor program designed to bring First Nations issues to the forefront. The program will investigate “historical, social, and cultural dimensions of Indigenous life in Canada.” Courses look at the treatment of Indigenous life, the experience of Indigeneity and gender, Indigenous resistance to the Canadian government, among others. In future years, the goal is to expand the program to include a major option, and many hope the program will expand into an institute on campus.
Photo from the annual McGill powwow
Concordia University
Also in downtown Montreal, Concordia offers comprehensive Arts and Science, Fine Arts, and Engineering programs to an international student body. Of note for budding entrepreneurs, the relatively young John Molson School of Business has quickly grown in reputation as an incubator for the corporate world.
Concordia’s Aboriginal Student Resource Centre is a welcoming location where students can meet, plan social activities or relax between classes. It offers a lounge, computer lab and numerous activities. As a walk-in centre for future and current students, you can access services and information.
Concordia’s Aboriginal student resource center
Bishop’s University
Outside the big-city crush of Montreal, another English-language option is Bishop’s University near Sherbrooke in the Eastern Townships. Primarily a small undergraduate school with a long history, Bishop’s specializes in Education, Computer Science and Physics.
Eastern Ontario Schools
If you prefer to study in Ontario, our provincial neighbour has numerous colleges and universities offering Aboriginal-specific programs
Algonquin College
With a wide variety of pre-university or career programs, Algonquin College boasts three different locations: Ottawa, Perth and Pembroke. Over 140 courses of study are offered, and Aboriginal students have the option of starting their Algonquin experience in the General Arts and Science Aboriginal Studies program in one- and two-year program formats. This program features specially tailored course content on Aboriginal peoples.
Trent University
Located in Peterborough, Trent University’s Indigenous Studies program is considered one of the best in the country.
Trent offers various options to study Indigenous perspectives: an eight-course Diploma Program in Indigenous Studies or Indigenous Environmental Studies; a 15- or 20-course BA in Indigenous Studies; a 15- or 20-course BA or BSc in Indigenous Environmental Studies; and a two-year MA in Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies.
Trent provides a wealth of social, cultural and academic support through their First Peoples House of Learning. Cultural events include the Annual Elders and Traditional Persons Gathering, the Indigenous Women’s Symposium, the Honouring the Land Symposium, The Sacred Water Circle Conference and the Pine Tree Talks and Seminars.
Carleton University
Carleton University in Ottawa has a lot to offer First Nations students, beginning with the Centre for Aboriginal Culture and Education. CACE sets out to increase the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal students, faculty and staff at Carleton by ensuring Aboriginal cultures, traditions and worldviews are respected and represented on campus.
Carleton also offers Aboriginal Enriched Support Program (AESP), studies that are tailored to support Aboriginal students making the transition to BA programs.
Queen’s University
Located in Kingston, Queen’s University helps integrate Aboriginal students who may be missing prerequisites with an alternative pathway for the first year of a full-time, undergraduate degree program.
As well, the Aboriginal Council of Queen’s University, the Queen’s Native Students Association, and the Four Directions Aboriginal Student Centre are resources offering cultural and academic support.
Queen’s offers an Aboriginal Teacher Education program, a Master of Education in Aboriginal and World Indigenous Educational Studies, a Professional Master of Public Administration, a Minor in Indigenous Studies as well as an Aboriginal Access to Engineering Program.
Laurentian University
Laurentian University in Sudbury has numerous programs catering to Indigenous people. For example, it offers one of the only two Bachelor of Native Social Work programs in Canada.
Their School of Native Human Services, Nishnaabe Kinoomaadwin Naadmaadwin (Native Teaching in Helping), also trains Aboriginals for careers in Child Welfare, Mental Health, Provincial/Federal Corrections, Community Development, Administration, Research & Development, and Health Care, among others.
Nipissing University
Nipissing University course streams include an Aboriginal Teacher Certification Program, a Teacher of Anishnaabemwin as a Second Language Program, Native Classroom Assistant Diploma Program and a Native Special Education Assistant Diploma Program. Of note, Nipissing features a stand-alone Native Studies Department.
Canadore College
Located in North Bay, Canadore College offers unique Aboriginal programs, such as Indigenous Preparatory Studies and an Indigenous Pre-Health Program. Featuring smaller classes, individual attention from academic advisors and personalized education, Canadore is a good first step for many Aboriginal students.
University of Ottawa
Located in Canada’s capital, the University of Ottawa offers excellent Aboriginal programming, including a major or minor in Aboriginal Studies through its Faculty of Arts. The school also features special programming in the Faculty of Law, an Aboriginal Teacher Education Program (Primary/Junior B.Ed or Certificate) and a School of Nursing Aboriginal Students Initiative under its Faculty of Health Sciences.
Of note is the Aboriginal Health Program in its Faculty of Medicine, which has a mandate to graduate Aboriginal doctors. Medical students from across Canada compete for seats in the prestigious program.
Elsewhere in Canada
Adventurous students may want to consider options in other regions of Canada. Here are a few interesting options.
Mount Royal University
With a view of the Rocky Mountains from its Calgary location, Mount Royal University’s innovative Iniskim Centre provides academic support for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students. The centre was created to increase enrolment and retention of Aboriginal students while increasing awareness of distinct cultures, history and protocols.
Among the programs offered is the Aboriginal Science and Technology Education Program (ASTEP), developed in response to the need for better representation of Aboriginal peoples in the fields of science and technology. ASTEP provides a comprehensive support system while you prepare for a variety of exciting careers in science and technology. It fosters a supportive learning model for Aboriginal students preparing for, and studying in, the Bachelor of Science (BSc) or the Bachelor of Computer Information Systems (BCIS) degree programs at Mount Royal.
Bird’s eye view of the Mount Royal campus
University of Winnipeg
The Department of Indigenous Studies at the University of Winnipeg is grounded in the intellectual and cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples in Canada and around the globe. They welcome students from all backgrounds and disciplines to explore the unique complexities and broad, diverse cultures associated with Indigenous studies.
It offers multidisciplinary coursework in Indigenous/Aboriginal governance and other disciplines including politics, anthropology, history, religious studies, and conflict resolution studies. The department recognizes the central role of language as carrier of culture, tradition and knowledge.
University of Saskatchewan
Perched on the slopes of the South Saskatchewan River valley in Saskatoon, the University of Saskatchewan offers extensive services and programs to its large Aboriginal student body. For the ambitious, there are specific law, business, management, science, education and medicine programs for Aboriginal students.
The strategy of Indigenous-centred education has met with success at U of S, where retention and graduation rates are steadily rising. Saskatoon is far from home, but may be a creative option for students working for a high-level career.
USaskatchewan Aboriginal Initiatives
University of Victoria
On the southern tip of Vancouver Island, the University of Victoria may be the farthest university option available for Cree students in Canada. But there’s one very interesting reason to for those considering a medical career to check it out: the Institute of Aboriginal People’s Health.
The IAPH fosters the advancement of a national health research agenda to improve and promote the health of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada, through research, knowledge translation and capacity building. The Institute’s pursuit of research excellence is enhanced by respect for community research priorities and Indigenous knowledge, values and cultures.