Workforce Connex ForumWorkforce Connex ForumKelowna, BCKelowna, BC

Developing an Aboriginal Recruitment StrategyDeveloping an Aboriginal Recruitment StrategyNadine Hoehne, Aboriginal Recruitment ConsultantNadine Hoehne, Aboriginal Recruitment Consultant

OutlineOutline

Why Hire Aboriginal People?Why Hire Aboriginal People? Build internal capacity to engage the Build internal capacity to engage the

Aboriginal community.Aboriginal community. Increase awareness of employment Increase awareness of employment

opportunities within the Aboriginal opportunities within the Aboriginal community. community.

Increase the number of Aboriginal people Increase the number of Aboriginal people working within the Company Workforce.working within the Company Workforce.

Evaluate your results/success.Evaluate your results/success.

Why Hire Aboriginal People?Why Hire Aboriginal People?

Demographics – tight BC labor forceDemographics – tight BC labor force New market opportunitiesNew market opportunities Diversity/Equity commitmentsDiversity/Equity commitments Community RelationsCommunity Relations Reconciliation – “It’s the right thing to do”Reconciliation – “It’s the right thing to do”

Build Internal Capacity to Engage Build Internal Capacity to Engage the Aboriginal Communitythe Aboriginal Community

Allocate Resources to the StrategyAllocate Resources to the Strategy Research Aboriginal HR SupplyResearch Aboriginal HR Supply Review Recruitment and Selection processes to identify Review Recruitment and Selection processes to identify

any barriers to Aboriginal employment.any barriers to Aboriginal employment. Identify employment, training and career development Identify employment, training and career development

opportunities for Aboriginal People.opportunities for Aboriginal People. Build organizational commitment to developing a Build organizational commitment to developing a

workforce representative of Aboriginal people at all levels.workforce representative of Aboriginal people at all levels. Integrate the Aboriginal Recruitment Strategy into the Integrate the Aboriginal Recruitment Strategy into the

VANOC HR/Workforce planning processes and VANOC HR/Workforce planning processes and operations. operations.

Increase awareness of employment Increase awareness of employment opportunities within the Aboriginal opportunities within the Aboriginal

community.community.

Develop Aboriginal recruitment materials Develop Aboriginal recruitment materials to support the building of relationships to support the building of relationships with the aboriginal community, with the aboriginal community, employment centers, education employment centers, education coordinators, etc. coordinators, etc.

Increase the number of Aboriginal Increase the number of Aboriginal people working within the Company people working within the Company

Workforce.Workforce.

Develop strategic linkages with Develop strategic linkages with Aboriginal stakeholders.Aboriginal stakeholders.

Develop an external communication Develop an external communication strategy.strategy.

Develop and/or support Aboriginal Develop and/or support Aboriginal Student Work Experience Programs.Student Work Experience Programs.

Engage and partner with identified talent Engage and partner with identified talent pools for targeted recruitment of staff.pools for targeted recruitment of staff.

Aboriginal SupplyAboriginal Supply

          British Columbia – An Overview:British Columbia – An Overview:

  

                Aboriginal people account for 4.4% of BC’s total population, Aboriginal people account for 4.4% of BC’s total population, approximately 170,025 people. approximately 170,025 people.

  

                  Of the 170,025 people who identified themselves as Aboriginal in BC, Of the 170,025 people who identified themselves as Aboriginal in BC, 123,785 declared as Registered Indians, 44,265 as Metis, and 805 as Inuit.123,785 declared as Registered Indians, 44,265 as Metis, and 805 as Inuit.

  

                It is estimated that up to 70% of the Aboriginal population in BC lives off-It is estimated that up to 70% of the Aboriginal population in BC lives off-reserve. reserve.

  

                Of the total Aboriginal off-reserve population (123,645), approximately 36, Of the total Aboriginal off-reserve population (123,645), approximately 36, 855 live in the Greater Vancouver area.855 live in the Greater Vancouver area.

BCBC

Aboriginal Supply PoolsAboriginal Supply PoolsOverall Forces Affecting the Aboriginal Population:• Poorer Health• Lower Levels of Education• Lower Income Levels• Higher rates of unemployment• Higher levels of incarceration and suicide

 

Primary Barriers Facing Aboriginal People Entering into the

Workforce:• Lack of Skills – related to not finishing high school and not participating

in the post-secondary system. This problem is worse on-reserve.• Dependence on government and social programs. In many cases,

especially on-reserve, welfare has become a way of life.• Lack of positive role models.• Lack of information about career opportunities.

Aboriginal Labor Supply - PoolsAboriginal Labor Supply - Pools

People Already WorkingPeople Already Working

Post-Secondary InstitutesPost-Secondary Institutes

AHRDAsAHRDAs

First Nations communitiesFirst Nations communities

Aboriginal People Already WorkingAboriginal People Already Working

StrengthsStrengths Already possess many of the qualifications and work experience Already possess many of the qualifications and work experience

required to work within a company:required to work within a company:

-Education, Skills, Abilities, Experience, Job Maintenance-Education, Skills, Abilities, Experience, Job Maintenance   Ability to place at all levels within workforceAbility to place at all levels within workforce

ChallengesChallenges Have to target individuals – via Networks - and entice them toHave to target individuals – via Networks - and entice them to

opportunities.opportunities. Requires early information about demand planning to identify andRequires early information about demand planning to identify and

earmark positions and target people.earmark positions and target people. Tax-exemption for status employees.Tax-exemption for status employees. Competitive MarketCompetitive Market

Post-Secondary StudentsPost-Secondary Students

StrengthsStrengths Possess education and basic skills:Possess education and basic skills:

-Education, Soft Skills, -Education, Soft Skills, Moldable to suit specific jobsMoldable to suit specific jobs

ChallengesChallenges May lack work experience.May lack work experience.

Lack of awareness about opportunities.Lack of awareness about opportunities.

May be looking for part-time/summer opportunities.May be looking for part-time/summer opportunities.

Competitive Market Competitive Market

AHRDAsAHRDAs

StrengthsStrengths AHRDA infrastructure (both on and off reserve) to assist in identifyingAHRDA infrastructure (both on and off reserve) to assist in identifying

and working with unemployed and underemployed Aboriginal people.and working with unemployed and underemployed Aboriginal people.

Typically fund one-year employment-related programs.Typically fund one-year employment-related programs.

Strong connections to Aboriginal talent pool.Strong connections to Aboriginal talent pool.

  

ChallengesChallenges   Face significant challenges to both skills development and employment.Face significant challenges to both skills development and employment.

Smaller pool of job ready clients.Smaller pool of job ready clients.

May require 1 – 3 years for appropriate skills development.May require 1 – 3 years for appropriate skills development.

Competitive MarketCompetitive Market

First Nations CommunitiesFirst Nations CommunitiesStrengthsStrengths Access to Community Education Coordinators who fund members’ postAccess to Community Education Coordinators who fund members’ post

secondary training (2-4 years).secondary training (2-4 years).

Access to Community Employment and Training Coordinators who fundAccess to Community Employment and Training Coordinators who fund

members’ vocational training (1-2 years).members’ vocational training (1-2 years).

ChallengesChallenges On-reserve population generally faces more significant challenges to On-reserve population generally faces more significant challenges to

both skills development and employment.both skills development and employment.

Finding suitable candidates.Finding suitable candidates.

Competitive Market. Competitive Market.

Monitoring & EvaluationMonitoring & Evaluation

Establish a mechanism for monitoring and Establish a mechanism for monitoring and evaluation of the company’s Aboriginal evaluation of the company’s Aboriginal recruitment activities and successes.recruitment activities and successes.

-Steering Committee - -Steering Committee - including reps from the including reps from the Aboriginal Employment and Training realm to Aboriginal Employment and Training realm to oversee the implementation of the Aboriginal oversee the implementation of the Aboriginal Recruitment Strategy.Recruitment Strategy.

Question?Question?

How many of you have developed How many of you have developed Aboriginal Recruitment Strategies?Aboriginal Recruitment Strategies?

Can you share your experiences, lessons Can you share your experiences, lessons learned, successes, challenges, etc?learned, successes, challenges, etc?