Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy

If you’re an Aboriginal Canadian and are wondering where to find a job or how to upgrade your skills, the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS) may be your answer.

Using an integrated approach, ASETS will link your training needs to labour market demands, providing you with training or skills upgrading and with help finding a job.

Read more about ASETS

Aboriginal agreement holders design and deliver employment programs and services best suited to the unique needs of their clients, focusing on the three ASETS priorities:

  • supporting demand-driven skills development;
  • fostering partnerships with the private sector and the provinces and territories; and
  • placing emphasis on accountability and results.

ASETS is designed to help Aboriginal people prepare for and find high-demand jobs, as well as keep them in the long term. All Aboriginal people, regardless of status or location, may access its programs and services, which include:

  • skills development;
  • training for high-demand jobs;
  • job finding;
  • programs for youth;
  • programs for urban and Aboriginal people with disabilities; and
  • access to child care.

Flexible agreements with Aboriginal organizations throughout Canada ensure that they have the authority to make decisions that will best meet the needs of their clients. Each organization must meet accountability requirements and demonstrate strong performance results.

Find a Job or Upgrade your Skills

Start by finding an Aboriginal agreement holder.

Find out about other services available to you:

Aboriginal Youth

Aboriginal youth between the ages of 15 and 30 are the fastest growing population segment in Canada. They play a very important role in filling jobs left vacant when older workers retire.

The Government of Canada, in partnership with Aboriginal communities, is providing the resources necessary for Aboriginal youth to succeed in the job market so they can build better futures for themselves and their families.

Aboriginal agreement holders determine the type of youth programs to deliver based on the needs of the Aboriginal youth served. They may design, develop and deliver unique partnership-based and demand-driven youth programs, while supporting Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) objectives.

Other programs and services:

Aboriginal People with Disabilities
Aboriginal agreement holders have the flexibility to enhance skills and employment services for people with disabilities.
First Nations and Inuit Child Care

The First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative (FNICCI) provides access to quality child care services for First Nations and Inuit children whose parents are starting a new job or participating in a training program. The FNICCI is a component of the ASETS.

The FNICCI is a $50-million program that has supported over 8,500 child care spaces in 486 First Nations and Inuit communities across Canada. These spaces are available through your local Aboriginal agreement holder. Each Aboriginal agreement holder creates a program to best meet its clients’ needs. In most cases, this will mean pre-school spaces; some Aboriginal agreement holders also have after-school programs.

Other programs and services:

First Nations & Inuit Health