The Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centres are made possible with the support of the following partners.
NorQuest College uniquely delivers to the increasing demands of our economy, uniquely shapes the future of our province and uniquely maximizes opportunities that others don’t see.
We are your community college, serving approximately 10,200 full-time, part-time and continuing education students each year. As a regional steward, we provide access to adult education in Edmonton and the surrounding region for 23 communities. Our services stretch from Drayton Valley in the southwest to Whitecourt in the northeast and Wetaskiwin in the southeast.
NorQuest College helps learners with diverse educational backgrounds complete or further their studies through foundational and continuing education programs. Our post-secondary diploma and certificate programs offer career paths in health, community studies and business. We also provide educational opportunities at the times, places and delivery formats that best meet our learners’ needs.
We embrace diversity and honour inclusiveness.
- 60% of our students are born outside of Canada
- Almost 70 languages spoken on campus
- Approximately 11% of our students are self-declared Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit)
By collaborating with business, industry, government and communities, we ensure our post-secondary education is necessary and workforce relevant. We contribute significantly to Alberta’s growing economy.
Maximizing Opportunities for Indigenous Learners
NorQuest College provides a complete education that balances strong academic foundations with the integration and celebration of Indigenous culture.
Our network of services tailored specifically to Indigenous students includes:
- Access to NorQuest’s Elders
- Band Liaison
- Indigenous Student Advisor
- Indigenous Counselor
- Ceremonial Room for prayer, smudging and ceremonies
In November 2014, the Government of Alberta committed $1 million (over two years) for the creation of the Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centres (AICCC) in Calgary and Edmonton. This innovative partnership between post-secondary, business and industry, and the Government of Alberta, will provide a proactive support system and career-related services needed to increase the participation of Indigenous stakeholders within construction careers throughout Alberta. More recently, the Ministry of Labour has renewed their funding commitment to the AICCC (Edmonton) for an additional two years allowing the Centre to provide services to March 2019.
PCL is a leading Edmonton-based international construction company doing business throughout North America, Australia, and the Caribbean. The employee-owned PCL family of companies is the largest contracting organization in Canada and the sixth largest in the United States, with diverse operations in civil infrastructure, heavy industrial, and buildings markets. PCL operates in 31 major centers with an annual construction volume over $8.3 billion and is involved in more than 700 projects at any given time.
Social responsibility is one of PCL’s guiding principles, and community giving is at its core. As a result, PCL focuses philanthropic efforts in the areas of community development, health, education, and sustainability. PCL is proud to sponsor the Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centre at NorQuest College and support the development of a skilled workforce, through engagement of the Indigenous population, to meet Alberta’s needs.
Syncrude is one of the largest operators in Canada’s oil sands industry, with a history of responsible operations and ongoing innovation that spans more than five decades. Based in Fort McMurray, Alberta, and with a large research and development facility in Edmonton, Syncrude pioneered many of the processes used today in the industry, including an expanding suite of technologies to improve environmental and economic performance.
Syncrude is a recognized leader in Aboriginal relations in Canada. To date, the company has spent about $2.5 billion with Indigenous companies and is one of the country’s largest employers of Indigenous people. Syncrude invests around $1 million annually on programs and initiatives to advance education and employment opportunities for Aboriginal people, and is proud to sponsor the Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centre at NorQuest College.
“JV Driver is honored to be an industry partner in the establishment of the NorQuest Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centres (AICCC). As a long term partner with NorQuest in their Workforce Advisory Council, we look forward to continuing our relationship with NorQuest and supporting the AICCC in helping our local Indigenous community gain access to employment opportunities in the construction business. JV Driver has built many great relationships with the Indigenous community on various construction projects across Alberta and we believe the AICCC will continue to help secure employment opportunities for the Indigenous community.”
David Whyte, HR Manager
Chandos is an award-winning, market leader in providing value-added construction solutions. We build high-quality facilities across a broad scope of industries all across Canada. Chandos is employee-owned and currently maintains approximately 400 employees between our Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Ontario and Vancouver offices. We pride ourselves on living our brand promise to ‘see things differently’ as a means of delivering exceptional value to our clients through innovation.
As our BCorp certification shows, we know the importance of a strong, skilled workforce. It is this workforce that will not only sustain our economy but build our communities. We are excited to be working with the Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centre at NorQuest College to engage the Indigenous communities.