PWGSC participates in pilot project to provide jobs to Nunavut's Inuit community

March 2013

Michael Lewis manages PWGSC's operations in Iqaluit.

A Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) employee is at the forefront of a pilot project to connect Nunavut’s Inuit population with jobs in the public service.

Michael Lewis, who manages PWGSC’s operations in Iqaluit, has spent the past year-and-a-half helping to put together the Inuit Learning and Development Pilot Project, announced in February by the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.

The pilot project will give 16 recruits the opportunity to spend 16 months in Iqaluit working for the federal and territorial governments, as well as Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., an organization that represents and protects the interests of Nunavut’s Inuit population. The program will involve classroom learning and on-the-job training, with the goal of placing participants in permanent government jobs.

“We are going to do our best to pair participants with jobs that reflect their interests,” says Lewis, who is part of the committee that will select the successful applicants and who will mentor the new recruits.

“Ultimately, I think that this project will benefit the Inuit population—particularly young people—by giving them the chance to test drive the public service as an employer and hopefully position them well for finding jobs in the future.”

Recruits will work out of the Government of Canada Building in Iqaluit.

Lewis expects that up to eight of the new employees will gain experience at PWGSC, where he’ll train them to respond to real property service calls, inspect housing units for maintenance issues and meet with government clients to provide them with insight into the leasing process.

Besides PWGSC, employees will have the chance to gain experience at Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Parks Canada, the RCMP and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, among others.

The project’s organizers are still collecting resumes, with work placements scheduled to start in May.

Stay tuned, as we’ll be bringing you updates on the project as it gets underway.

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