OHSWEKEN, ONT — Building life skills, working as a team and producing tangible results.
This was the outcome of a recent two-day, hands-on woodworking workshop for 12 Indigenous youth that was designed to introduce participants to carpentry and potential careers in the skilled trades.
It was hosted last week by MicroPro Sienna Plus, in partnership with Skills Ontario First Nations, Métis and Inuit Initiatives, Grand River Employment and Training and the Six Nations community.
Led by Mi’kmaq carpenter and content creator Deneika Coakley, participants were given the opportunity to explore the fundamentals of woodworking and carpentry while working alongside industry professionals, explains a release.
Students learned how to use a variety of carpentry tools while working together to build and paint picnic tables.
The finished picnic tables will be donated to the local Six Nations community, including to the Kayanase greenhouse, an ecological restoration and native plant and seed business, and Grand River Employment and Training, an Indigenous employment and training non-profit for Six Nations band members.
Each student also received a complimentary STANLEY tool set so they can continue to learn the tools of the trade.
“The opportunity to give young adults hands-on experience in woodworking while helping them build valuable life skills is what these community builds are all about,” said Jana Proctor, senior marketing manager – North America, Timber Specialties, in a statement.
“Representation in the trades is so important, especially among Indigenous and Black communities. I firmly believe that ‘if you can see it, you can be it,’” added Coakley. “Seeing the growth in competence and confidence over the two-day build gives me so much excitement for the future, and I can’t wait to engage with students again.”
