‘A career fair without calling it a career fair’: Indigenous-centric event comes to Northern Lights College

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Indigenous secondary students have the opportunity to explore different career paths later this month at Northern Lights College (NLC).

Indigenous Pathways to Futures is an event which First Nations students a look at various potential careers and post-secondary endeavours, including in industry, skilled trades and entrepreneurship, according to Candace Green.

Green is an assistant to the director of Indigenous education at NLC and one of the organizers of the event. 

“The idea here is that it’s a career fair, without calling it a career fair,” said Green. “High school students are notoriously disinterested in the career fair thing.

“So this is set up a little bit differently.”

Groups from First Nations around northeastern BC, along with School District 59 and 60 students, will be attending the event.

Each group will only be allotted two hours in total, with the focus being on smaller groups to engage with the professionals in each booth.

“We have tried to have a pretty wide variety [of careers],” said Green. “We just tried to get a good variety that wasn’t just [representatives from] the oil field.”

Representatives from the forestry industry, trucking companies, healthcare and emergency health services will be showcased.

The event will feature a free lunch courtesy of the Meat Doctor, and lunchtime will have a special appearance by the Notorious Cree.

Otherwise known as James Jones, his website states he is a choreographer and Indigenous performer, specializing in hoop dancing, flute, powwow and street dancing.  

Having over a million followers on Instagram, Notorious Cree will perform alongside the School District 60’s Indigenous Education Centre’s dance troupe.

“He’s coming to do traditional dance in full regalia [and] coming to talk to the kids,” said Green.

Indigenous Pathways to Futures takes place at NLC’s Fort St. John campus at 9820 120th Avenue on May 27th from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The event is open to high school students only. Further information is available by emailing Green at cgreen@nlc.bc.ca