Recognizing Support for Indigenous Trades Excellence
Trade Winds to Success proudly acknowledges and extends our deepest appreciation to Red Flame Industries and the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum for their generous contributions to the success and empowerment of Indigenous trades students.
Through the presentation of scholarships to outstanding recipients, including Hillary Minde, Tiara Arcand, and Keyanna Soosay, these organizations have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to Indigenous education, career advancement, and community development. Together, we are building futures.
Quotes from the recipients
Hilary Minde: As this program comes to an end, I have been reflecting on how this program has helped me in more ways than I could have imagined. How it has enhanced my skills in attention to detail, working with my hands, precision, patience, and most important; empowerment. Being in an all women’s group at Trade Winds has been so empowering, being able to share the same feelings and thoughts going into the trades. We all share some sort of intergenerational trauma, and being able to share these experiences with the ladies has been uplifting. I’ve never been in such a powerful, spiritual, and empowering group like this before. I definitely wouldn’t be as skilled as I am now without the amazing help from Dave and Gary. They have given us feedback, skills, and knowledge that I will keep with me forever going into my career. I’m more confident and enriched in knowledge about the trades, all because of the Trade Winds staff, and teachers.
Tiara Arcand: When I first heard about the Women Finishing Carpentry Program, I was determined to get in. I went through the application process, studied all day and night for the entrance exam, and failed. So I studied even harder and longer, failing again. I felt defeated. I was given a week to study and another chance. It was important to not give up on myself. Failing showed me how bad I wanted it. I finally passed on the third try. I decided to go to a travel hostel for the first few days of school. I also couldn’t stay there long. On my last day at the hostel, I found a room. In order to afford this room, I had to sell my car. I was even more determined at this point. During my first days at Trade Winds, I couldn’t help but admire all the strong indigenous women in that classroom. All with different backgrounds, their own different reasons, but we all shared one common goal, to work in the trades.
Keyana Soosay: My love for woodworking developed in high school. I admired the grain of each wood piece I came across, there was possibilities within, but i did not know how to get to a finished result. I’ve learned a lot with this Women’s Finishing Carpentry course. And with the amazing teachers I was given a chance to explore it more. The Trade Winds to Success program has helped me develop more confidence in my abilities as a woman in the trades. I feel more comfortable and capable in my own skin learning about so many skills. The staff have an abundance of information, and I felt more in control of my life learning many career pathways with their amazing knowledge. Working alongside a team of women was powerful and something I have never experienced before.
