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There’s gold in textbooks

Armed forces, mining industry eye young recruits

JOHN THOMPSON

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE
Petty Officer Paradis, Sgt. Thomlinson and Warrant Officer Boudreau visit Inuksuk High in Iqaluit during Career Week activities last week. The Canadian Armed Forces aims to more than double the number of aboriginal people in its ranks. (PHOTO BY JOHN THOMPSON)

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The words appear in bold, underlined letters, projected against one wall of the darkened classroom: “If you don’t take advantage of the opportunities, others will.”

It’s career week at Inuksuk High, and a dozen or so students are slumped in their seats, listening to David Smith, the Government of Nunavut’s manager of mineral resources, give his pitch on why they should care about the mining industry.

In other rooms there are bankers, recreation directors and military officers, all giving similar talks about the same subject: life after school.

“This is all important stuff if you’re a teenager, and you’re thinking about what to do with the rest of your life,” Smith said.

In the back of the room, two kids rock in their seats and suck on lollipops, until the teacher notices. She walks silently up to them, yanks the candy from their teeth and drops it in the waste bin.

“It’ll become probably the most significant part of the Nunavut economy in the next few years,” Smith continues. A map of the territory appears, and pink splotches show where mineral exploration activities have already taken place.

Last year $175 million was spent on mineral exploration in Nunavut.

“The only thing bigger than exploration was government,” said Smith. And while government is in the business of spending money, the mining industry is expected to generate wealth in Nunavut.

But how much of that money will end up in the pockets of Nunavummiut, rather than southern workers? Part of that depends on how well today’s high school students fare in math and science classes.

It’s true that mining camps need cooks and janitors. But if the territory’s residents want to perform the more skilled, higher paying jobs, they need training. And to be qualified for that training, they need high school education.

In the classroom, Smith emphasizes there’s a place for everyone in the mining industry. They will need office workers and welders, security guards and operators of heavy machinery.

“Whatever skills you pick up, you can probably get a job at a mine with those skills,” he said.

But to perform any of the higher-level, higher-paying tasks, you’ll need a college or university education.

And if today’s students aren’t interested in lucrative mining jobs?

Smith returns to the writing on the wall.

“Someone from Toronto will do it.”

Down the hall, Petty Officer Paradis asks a classroom of students how many countries they’ve visited. Silence hangs in the air.

“We’re 13 years old,” one student eventually replies, pointing out it’s not really a fair question.

“I’ve seen about that many,” jumps in Warrant Officer Boudreau from the air force. There’s a friendly rivalry between the three members of the Canadian Armed Forces here, representing the country’s army, navy and air force.

The Canadian Armed Forces aims to more than double the number of aboriginals in its ranks, from the current 1.4 per cent to its target of 3.5 per cent. That includes drawing more Inuit into its ranks, and perhaps luring a few into its southern outfits.

You need a Grade 10 education to join the armed forces. But finishing high school is strongly recommended, and almost all the military higher ups have college or university educations.

If a full-time commitment is too much, you can join the force as a part-time southern reservist. If you enlist, the military will even pay you to go to school — which must not seem like a bad deal to the kids in the classroom at the moment.

And you get to see the world.

One Grade 12 student is interested. As the other students leave, W.O. Boudreau pulls him aside. He fills out his name and contact information on a sheet of paper.

That could be one signed up.

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