|
About 800 jobs will be created by the Wuskwatim project over its six-year construction period. These will provide a range of opportunities for both designated and non-designated trades.
Designated Trades
Designated trades required for Wuskwatim include carpenters, electricians, pipefitters, millwrights, and ironworkers. Roughly one-third of all jobs available are for journeypersons and apprentices.
Non-designated Trades
Non-designated trades and construction support positions account for roughly two-thirds of positions available. They include labourers, heavy equipment operators, vehicle drivers, rebar workers, cement masons, and catering and clerical staff.
As construction progresses, demands for different skills will change, resulting in not all jobs extending through the entire six-year life span of the project. Employment levels will also vary by season with numbers peaking during the summer months when warm weather provides necessary conditions for some activities. (See graph.)
Hiring Considerations
Jobs on the project are covered by the Burntwood Nelson Agreement (BNA) that governs employment on northern hydroelectric projects. Employment Manitoba will refer workers to project employers in the following order:
- Qualified northern Aboriginals living within the Churchill/Burntwood/Nelson River (CBNR) region and surrounding areas as defined in the BNA, and members of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation who live in Manitoba
- Qualified northern residents living north of the Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs boundary who are members of a union involved in the project
- Qualified northern Aboriginals living north of the Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs boundary but not within the CBNR and surrounding areas as defined in the BNA
- Qualified northern Manitobans living north of the Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs boundary
- Qualified Manitoba union members
- Qualified Manitoba workers.
Applying for Employment
WPLP and Manitoba Hydro have no direct responsibility for hiring for the project, however, specific agencies have been designated to handle employment. Regardless of the hiring preferences in place, employment is conditional on each applicant having the required qualifications for the job.
If you are an NCN Member…
Wuskwatim job referrals and hiring for NCN members are handled through the Atoskiwin Training and Employment Centre in Nelson House at (204) 484-2886 or toll free 1 (866) 614-7686 outside the community. ATEC will assess your job experience and qualifications and, if necessary, can arrange for training to provide you with the skills needed.
If you are not an NCN Member…
Other Manitobans seeking employment on the Wuskwatim project MUST use the Wuskwatim Job Referral Service set up by the provincial government's Employment and Training Services (ETS) Branch. Applicants can register for work in person, by mail or by fax with any one of ETS's 17 centres across the province or with an authorized registration agency in your community.
Information on jobs, training and how to sign up for work on the Wuskwatim project is available from several sources:
- Call Employment Manitoba at (204) 945-0575 in Winnipeg or toll free at (866) 332-5077
- Call the Thompson Employment and Training Services Centre at (204) 677-6544
- Call the Manitoba Apprenticeship Branch at (204) 945-3337 or toll free at (877) 97TRADE
Advisory Committee on Employment
An Advisory Committee on Employment, comprised of representatives of NCN, Manitoba Hydro, Manitoba Advanced Education and Training, Hydro Projects Management Association (including contractor members) and Allied Hydro Council has been created as a forum for addressing employment related problems, in particular Aboriginal employment, related to the construction of the Wuskwatim Project. The committee receives and considers employment related concerns, and will provide advice and recommendations to the Project Manager on various items.
|
