WIIKWEMKOONG—The gymnasium at Wiikwemkoong High School was buzzing with activity on Friday, December 15 as booths representing 30 employers/career opportunities were on hand for ‘The Future, It’s Yours to Build’ career fair.
Over the course of most of the day, students were able to engage with potential career paths by chatting with individuals who are actually in those fields.
The career fair was launched with a keynote address entitled ‘Keeping Our Hands on the Ground: Present and Future of the Indigenous Apparel Industry’ by Tracy Toulouse, owner and designer at Swirling Wind.
A proud member of Sagamok Anishnawbek on the North Shore of Lake Huron, Ms. Toulouse has familial links to Wiikwemkoong. She is an apparel and traditional craft artist who incorporates woodland storytelling motifs with modern design in her creations. Infusing applique, beads, antler bone, fur, leather, birch bark and ribbon work, her designs “reinforce the Indigenous spirit and its connection to the land, showcasing this spirit in a wearable voice to be heard and felt by all.” Each of her designs carry with them the tradition and spirit of the woodland people.
Over the course of her 10-year career since founding Swirling Wind, Ms. Toulouse has travelled to Paris to take part in the Paris City Fashion Week and many other fashion centres, such as Milan, where she has been very well-received.
The career fair included a fashion show where Ms. Toulouse’s works took to the catwalk.
“We are very proud of what our organizers did,” said Wiikwemkoong High School Principal Harold Fox. “The students have been engaged and interested. This is a stepping stone to the future for them.”
“We have about 30 employers who are registered and although we didn’t put an exact career area we wanted to have come in, it kind of worked out and a lot of the booths are skilled trades,” said Co-Op and Guidance teacher Erika Kaboni, who was a co-organizer of the event. “I am glad the way it worked out.
Ms. Kaboni explained that the organizers split the students into two groups, a senior group and a junior group. “Group A is the senior students and group B are the Grade 8s and Grade 9s. I preferred the senior students went in first. While they were asking their questions, we had the other group attending workshops, and in the afternoon the groups were switched around.”
From careers in the health field, policing to apprenticeships, trades and sports, as well as presentations from Debajehmujig Storytellers who took the students through various ice breakers and improv games.
“The Debajehmujig workshop was really good because it helped loosen the students up and get comfortable with asking questions,” noted Ms. Kaboni.
Aircraft Structure Tech Master Corporal Jessica Fuchs and Infantry Tech Sergeant McRea were kept busy manning the Canadian Armed Forces booth. “There has been a lot of interest,” noted Sgt. Fuchs. “We have over 100 different occupations, so there is just about something for everyone.”
The soldiers said they found the students at Wiikwemkoong to be very engaged. “This is my favourite job,” admitted Sgt. McRae.
Conservation Officer Tawny Godin who was at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry booth agreed that the students were very engaged. “It’s been a really great event,” she said. “The students asked a lot of great questions.”
“Hats off to Jillian Peltier and Erika Kaboni,” said Mr. Fox. “They did an incredible job.”
