Residents in and around Kettle and Stony Point First Nation can now get their degrees, diplomas and other learning certificates without leaving the community.
Four Winds Community Employment Services is now home to Contact North's newest online learning centre at 9111 West Ipperwash Road.
Local dignitaries gathered Friday morning for the site's official grand opening.
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP and Labour Minister Monte McNaughton said the partnership is going to be life-changing for area residents.
"Most importantly, it's going to improve the lives of families. Everything that we're doing as a government is to ensure that we have training and education close to home that matches the in demand jobs that are available close to home. That's how we're going to build stronger families."
McNaughton said there are around 315,000 unfilled jobs in Ontario at the moment, many of them in the Sarnia-Lambton region.
"So we're laser focused on ensuring that all of the training that's provided through the province and our partners, like Contact North and Four Winds, is to train people for jobs that are actually in demand and close this skills gap that we have."
KP First Nation Director of Economic Development and Training Dianne Thomas said people in the community face a number of barriers when trying to access education, including transportation.
KP First Nation Director of Economic Development and Training Dianne Thomas at Four Winds Community Employment Services. 10 December 2021. (Photo by Blackburn Media)
"When young people want to move [for their education], they have to move to the city and it's really expensive. And this helps with one of these barriers because people will be able to stay home and they can access education here right in the community."
Thomas said the partnership is already going very well since Contact North moved into the Four Winds office in early October.
"We've already had individuals, as well, when an individual comes into our office, if our staff sees that the client needs more education, then we refer them over to Contact North," she said. "It's a big opportunity [and] we are very pleased -- it's going to enhance our services for what we can provide to the people to help them enhance their education and training goals."
Thomas said Four Winds has been helping people find work since the centre opened in 2000.
"[Now], if that individual needs a certificate, for instance, if it's in the trades and maybe they need 'working at heights,' our staff then will help them get that certificate and get them all ready and prepared to find employment, to make them more employable."
The online learning centre gives residents access to a variety of free services, including information on available online programs and courses from Ontario’s nine Indigenous institutes, 24 public colleges, 23 public universities, 76 district school boards, 200 literacy and basic skills providers, and 20 skills development training providers.
This is the first online learning centre to be opened in an Indigenous community in Contact North’s Southwest Region.
(From left to right) MPP Monte McNaughton, Chief Jason Henry, Carrie Stuart, and Dianne Thomas at Four Winds Community Employment Services in KP First Nation. 10 December 2021. (Photo by Blackburn Media)
