Esthetics and cooking courses in Arviat offered a lot more than a high-school credit to students: they provided a window to viable career paths in their future.
“We want to go in and tell all these kids, hey, if you like doing people’s nails for fun, then do their nails professionally,” said Natalie Maerzluft, program coordinator with Skills Canada Nunavut. “Go to school or open your own business and start offering these things in your community. Become a local chef or start working at the restaurants in town. Start your own business. These are all very, very viable career options and need to be promoted more.”
Schools don’t always have the capacity to offer such specialties, so that’s where Skills Canada Nunavut comes in.
Students took part in the courses March 7-10, each taught by experts in their field: Patience Sibanda of the Nunavut Wellness Academy on the esthetics side, and Eliane Kanayuk Gabriel for cooking and baking.
For Gabriel – a 2005 high school bronze medallist in cooking for a territorial skills competition – teaching in Arviat was a reminder of how she started.
“I was planning on doing a few other things (for a career), and as soon as I got involved with competing with Skills, I completely changed paths and I haven’t done anything (else) since,” said Gabriel.
“It’s really fun to be able to have the full-circle moment and be able to share my skills and knowledge with people the way they were shared with me, and hopefully it will inspire someone to join the trade just like I (did).”
She helped the students learn how to make risotto, decorated cakes, cookies, trifles and more.
“Their skill level in the kitchen was amazing,” Gabriel said.
Sibanda praised the students’ impressive efforts in the esthetics course.
“Oh my goodness, yes,” she said when asked if the students did well. “We were just amazed at how much it came naturally to them.”
Esthetics offers many career paths from makeup to manicures, she said, and those services are much-needed in Nunavut.
Maerzluft offered a big thank-you to the instructors who made the courses possible. The territorial skills competition will be held this April.
ᐱᐅᓴᐃᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒥᓲᓂᖅᓴᑲᓪᓚᖕᓄᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᒥᑦ ᑲᑎᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓄᑦ: ᐱᑕᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᖕᓇᖅᑐᒧᑦ ᐊᑉᖁᑎᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᖏᓐᓄᑦ.
“ᐅᖃᐅᑎᔪᒪᔭᕗᑦ ᓄᑕᖅᖃᓗᒃᑖᑦ, ᖁᕕᐊᒋᒍᕕᐅᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑯᑭᖏᓐᓂᓕᕆᓂᖅ, ᑯᑭᓕᕆᐊᕆᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᖃᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᓈᑕᓕ ᒥᐅᕐᔅᓚᕝᑦ, ᑐᕌᖓᔪᒧᑦ ᑐᑭᒧᐊᒃᑎᑦᑎᔨ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓃᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒧᑦ. “ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕐᓗᑎᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐅᒃᑯᐃᖅᓯᓗᑎᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕐᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᑕᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᓂᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂᑦ. ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᐃᒐᔨᙳᕐᓗᑎᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᓂᕆᕝᕕᖕᓂᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑦᑕᓕᕐᓗᑎᑦ. ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅᑖᖑᔪᖕᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᖅᕿᔮᖅᑎᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ.”
ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕖᑦ ᐃᓂᖃᐃᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᐱᑕᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᐃᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᖏᑦᑐᓂᒃ, ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᒧᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓃᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᑦ ᑕᒡᕙᐅᔪᑦ.
ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᓂᑦ ᓇᑦᑎᐊᑦ 7-ᒥᑦ 10-ᒧᑦ, ᐊᑐᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᑉᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᖃᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᓂᙵᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ: ᐲᓴᓐᔅ ᓯᐸᓐᑕ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᑦ ᐱᐅᓴᐃᓂᕐᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓖᓐ ᑲᓇᔪᖅ ᒌᐳᕆᐅᓪ ᐃᒐᓂᕐᒧᑦ.
ᒌᐳᕆᐅᓪᒧᑦ - 2005-ᒥᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᓄᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᒋᔭᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᐅᐸᓗᒃᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑖᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᒐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᐊᕕᒃᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᒥᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᕐᓄᑦ ᐱᒡᒎᒃᑐᓂᑦ - ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᖅ ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂᑦ ᐃᖅᖃᐃᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᓚᐅᕐᓂᖓᓂᑦ.
“ᖃᑉᓯᐊᕐᔪᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕈᒪᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓚᐅᓕᑐᐊᕋᒪ ᐱᒡᒎᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᕐᓄᑦ, ᐊᓯᐊᙳᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᐃᓱᒪᒐ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓯᐊᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᙱᓕᖅᑐᖓ ᑕᐃᒪᙵᓂᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᒌᐳᕆᐅᓪ.
“ᖁᕕᐊᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒥᓲᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᓂᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᕆᔭᒃᑲ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᕆᔭᒃᑲ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᐅᕙᒻᓄᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᑦᑎᑐᑦᑕᐅᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᒋᐊᕈᒪᓂᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᐳᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᖕᒥᑦ ᐃᒐᔨᐅᔪᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᐃᓚᐅᕋᒪᑐᑦ.”
ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᖦᖢᒋᑦ ᕆᓱᑐ-ᓕᐅᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐱᐅᓴᐃᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑮᒃᓂᑦ, ᓯᒐᓛᕋᓛᓂᑦ, ᑯᑯᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᖏᓯᓐᓂᓪᓗ.
“ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᕆᔭᖏᑦ ᐃᒐᒥᑦ ᐱᐅᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ,” ᒌᐳᕆᐅᓪ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.
ᓯᐸᓐᑕ ᐱᑦᑕᐅᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᕋᖅᖢᒋᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐱᔪᒥᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖏᑦ ᐱᐅᓴᐃᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.
“ᐅᐊᑲᓪᓚᖔ, ᐄ” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᐱᕆᔭᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦ ᐱᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᕐᒪᖔᑕ. “ᐅᐱᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ.”
ᐱᐅᓴᐃᓃᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐊᑉᖁᑎᓂᒃ ᑮᓇᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᐅᓴᐃᓂᒥᑦ ᑯᑭᓕᕆᓂᕐᓄᑦ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᐅᑏᑦ ᐱᔭᐅᔪᒪᑦᑎᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᑦ.
ᓯᐸᓐᑕᒧᑦ, ᖁᕕᐊᓇᕐᓂᐅᔪᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑐᓴᕐᓂᙱᑦᑐᒥᑦ ᑐᓴᕐᓂᐊᓵᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᕝᕕᖕᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂᑦ.
“ᐃᑭᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᑕ, ᐊᐅᓚᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑕ ᐊᕐᕕᐊᓂᑦ ᓴᓇᑦᑕᐃᓕᐅᕌᓂᒃᑐᒥᑦ ᒥᓐᑎᒥᑦ ᐅᑉᓛᒃᑯᑦ, ᐅᖃᓗᒡᕕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃ ᐃᑯᐊᓛᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᐸᓐᑕ. “40 ᒥᓂᑦᓗᐊᖑᖅᖂᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᒍᑦ. ᐊᑯᓂᒻᒪᕆᐊᓘᔮᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓚᐅᖏᓐᓇᒪ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕐᒪᖔᑦ. ᒥᓐᓇᑉᑕ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᑕᑯᓚᐅᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᐊᔩᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᖏᑎᒋᓂᖓ ᐃᑯᓛᖅᑑᑉ. ᐊᐃᑦᑖᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᑕᐃᑲᓃᙱᓐᓇᕕᑦ, ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ.”
ᐱᓕᕆᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᒍ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᓂᓯᓗᓂ ᐃᓂᒋᓚᐅᐱᓪᓚᖕᓂᐊᖅᑕᖓᓂᑦ ᐊᐅᓛᖅᑏᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᒍ.
ᒪᐃᑦᔅᓚᕝᑦ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔨᓄᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᒃ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᐱᒡᒎᒃᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ ᖃᐃᔪᒥᑦ ᑎᕆᒡᓗᐃᑦᒥᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ.