The Hamlet of Arviat recently concluded a 10-week, heavy equipment operator course with nine students successfully completing the program.
The course, which began on July 29, was held in partnership with Fossil Creek Industrial Training and supported by Nunavut's Department of Economic Development and Transportation and the Kivalliq Inuit Association.
The heavy equipment operator course was the latest in a series of training programs initiated by the hamlet.
Arviat Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr. said the recent course was, once again, quite successful.
He said this marks the fourth year the Hamlet of Arviat has been running the course.
“We are producing solid heavy-equipment operators with that course and the majority of them do find employment,” said Savikataaq. “It helps them get employment with the mines, working that equipment.
“That's what we do because Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake are close to the mines and all that, so they benefit a lot. We don't have that luxury, so, to help our community, we contact industry, in this case mining, and ask what they're looking for.
“In the past, we've produced welding courses, diamond drilling for exploration courses and cooks to help in the kitchens. Now we're focusing on the heavy-equipment operators.”
Savikataaq said the way the hamlet approaches the situation is to provide what is needed. He said it makes no sense to run courses to accredit people in fields where there are few employment opportunities.
“You could, for example, put on a course that everyone likes. But, if there's nothing at the end, or a very low chance of employment, why do it?
“Everything was very positive at their graduation. Pretty much everyone likes learning on equipment and how to safely operate it. So it's very good for everyone, and everyone who takes the course really likes it.”
Savikataaq said there are always more applications — sometimes a lot more — than positions available for the hamlet's training courses.
He said it's made clear to every applicant that not everyone is going to be selected due to the limited number of seats.
“This approach has been pretty successful since Day One. In fact, that's not the only thing we have going on. We also hold Class 3 air brakes and one is about to begin very soon.
“With heavy equipment, we're offering what training at Morrisburg, Ont., offers. Here, we even have simulators of the actual heavy equipment that the students use. So, they're in a simulator before going into the field and these simulators are very realistic.
“When you're talking about training in Morrisburg, that's money that's leaving the territory, whereas here it's staying. This past year, we did a thing called train the trainer, so there are local instructors now helping to make the course successful.”
Savikataaq said the hamlet's goal is to continue with the heavy equipment training, as long as financial backing is available. He said if the hamlet receives continued funding for training, its goal is to be the training centre for other communities across the territory.
“We're looking at having students from our other regions come to Arviat to do their training, rather than going out of territory.
“We're reaching out to train people from communities right across Nunavut. That's our goal.”
