For any organization whose mandate includes delivering essential training to remote communities in northern Manitoba, you better have someone who knows the tough terrain, and sometimes, even the tougher travel involved. For Manitoba Construction Sector Council (MCSC), that invaluable intrepid individual is William Kirkness.

“It’s just day by day,” says Kirkness of his often-changing travel plans, reflecting on his take-it-as-it-comes approach to navigating the north. Many communities he visits are only accessible by air, winter road, or treacherous gravel road. On one of his most recent travels, Kirkness coordinated the carpentry framer course in Bunibonibee Cree Nation, a fly-in community located about 650 kilometers northeast of Winnipeg “You never know what  creeks are going to open up and then the roads will be closed. The only way to access it  is by air, or else on winter road, which is in question right now due to the weather.”

As MCSC’s Indigenous Liaison for the past several years, Kirkness has served northern Manitoba’s First Nations, working with their leaders to build trust to welcome MCSC-approved trades trainers into their communities. Specifically, Kirkness works with Indigenous communities to address skill gaps on local construction projects. He coordinates the delivery of training for employment by bridging the gap between employers and Indigenous workers to improve recruitment and retention practices in remote Manitoba communities.

In Bunibonibee, all 12 graduating students are Indigenous women who have spent the last few months learning basic carpentry skills before embarking on their practicum project of constructing a woodshed from the ground up. After completion of training, the women were hired to work on local construction projects.

“I got chills,” says Michelle Munroe, Bunibonibee First Nation’s Training and Employment Coordinator when she reflects on the graduation of the Indigenous women in her community who just completed the course.  “In addition to the skills they’ve learned, the confidence they gained is shared by their families. We’re all so proud of them.”

According to Munroe, without MCSC’s training, people in her community would have to travel great distances to other parts of the province, but the bigger reason why the framer’s course has been successful is because of Kirkness himself. “He’s just awesome,” says Munroe. “He’s my go-to for everything and we’ll work with him any day.”

In the six months prior to the Bunibonibee program, Kirkness, who speaks Cree, brought 12 weeks of carpentry skills training provided by MCSC-affiliated trainers to Manto Sipi Cree Nation (Gods River) where 12 Indigenous youth completed training ; all of the youth are employed on local construction projects with funding through First Jobs Fund. View our Flickr album to see more! https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbcsc/albums/72177720312699091

And, within that same timeframe, Kirkness supervised yet another carpentry framer course in Barren Lands First Nation where 12 Indigenous women renovated elder homes and built steps and picnic tables. Now nine of the twelve graduates are employed on local construction projects.

As you can literally see and hear, Kirkness is logging some serious Manitoba mileage annually, and he’d have it no other way. Growing up in the Pas, and working as a project manager for highways in the north, Kirkness has a deep connection and understanding to the way of life in northern communities, especially the First Nations. To bring training to Indigenous people across the north that helps them build infrastructure, and more importantly, build confidence, is extremely rewarding work.

“Especially when you see the looks on their faces when they come up to get their certificate. Even if it’s a three-week course or any course, they’re still the same. It’s just the smiles on their faces when they come up to get their certificates,” says Kirkness. Check out the Flickr image album above to see for yourself.

“William’s contributions to the north are almost immeasurable,” commends MCSC’s Executive Director, Carol Paul, who hired Kirkness. “His connections have enabled MCSC to fulfill our mandate this past year by providing training and employment to 204 Indigenous people in northern Manitoba. Along with long-established relationships with First Nations’ leaders, he facilitates the trust needed for youth, women and other participants to learn from valuable Indigenous tradespeople, essential to the successful delivery of the training.”

Also essential to the success, students getting hands-on experience.

“With their practicum, they get to do hands-on work. They get to start measuring, pounding nails, cutting boards. And they really enjoy that,” says Kirkness, and thanks to his commitment to bringing training to northern Manitoba, there will be many hands-on training sessions in the works in the months ahead.