Four Indigenous Youth were awarded the annual TradeTek Youth Apprenticeship Scholarship by the Prince George Aboriginal Employment and Training Association (PGNAETA) this week.
Recipients Brayden Adams, Carson Azak-Siwallace, Graham Gillis, and Briley Alfred were given the $1,000 award by Barb Ward-Burkitt, president of PGNAETA's board of directors, at the non-profit's annual general meeting.
The scholarship is intended to assist youth with their trades employment and training-related expenses, which could include tools, work gear materials or assistance with books or tuition.
It is open to Indigenous youth who are residing in either School District No. 57 or 91 and the students must have completed their grade 12 and attained their trades foundation certificate by the end of summer 2022 and are continuing their trades journey.
“It is important that we support our youth to continue their trades journey. The field of trades offers lucrative employment for career advancement,” said PGNAETA executive director Karin Hunt.
PGNAETA has provided targeted apprenticeship and trades initiatives for the past 10 years and has trades initiatives including employment counseling, pre-trades training, and seat purchases in trades foundational programs.
The non-profit also currently operates a trades division with classroom space, and a computer laboratory with qualified staff to facilitate industry preparatory programs.
The goal is to offer innovative programming for pre-trades and trades entry to prepare for apprenticeship and trades opportunities.
PGNAETA was formed in 1993 as a non-profit society, mandated to serve the Indigenous community in the field of human resource development and now works collaboratively to aid the Indigenous workforce to participate in the shifting labour market.
