Indigenous communities in Canada need employment opportunities in culturally competent workplaces to reconcile the marginalization they have historically suffered in the workforce. Employment training for non-Indigenous leaders, managers, and business owners is an important tool for creating safe and respectful workplaces and helping Indigenous workers achieve professional success and financial stability.
Among the many organizations working to improve relations between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous people, Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. (ICT) stands out with its unique approach. The outcomes of cultural competency, reconciliation, and empowerment are not just goals but the very fabric that has defined ICT’s strategy over the last two decades. Through its online and in-person training programs, ICT is dedicated to preserving Indigenous culture and upholding Indigenous rights through an educational approach rooted in respect, knowledge-sharing, and fostering meaningful connections.
Dedication to Building Cultural Competence
A Certified Indigenous Business (CIB) with the Canadian Council for Indigenous Businesses (CCIB), ICT’s commitment to developing culturally competent spaces and workplaces is unwavering, and its impact has been notable with thousands of organizations and individuals going through their training programs. ICT is a registered Cultural Awareness Trainer under the CCIB’s Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) corporate certification program. The program’s focus is integrating economic reconciliation through business. The training programs ICT offers incorporate various learning strategies that equip learners with the understanding and skills necessary for building respectful, effective, and culturally aware workspaces and environments.
The subject matter in these programs also allows learners to fully comprehend the complexity of building effective relationships with Indigenous peoples and nations. While exploring the histories, culture and customs of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities within Canada, learners explore strategies for building respectful and mutually beneficial partnerships that consider community needs and decision-making processes. The information shared is not only originally produced, rich, and factual, but also invites the learner to dig deep into their understanding of Indigenous peoples and historical and current relations to adapt and inform their approaches.
Learners are guided by the highly experienced training team under the leadership of ICT’s founder Bob Joseph (K’axwsumala’galis). Bob is an initiated member of the Hamatsa Society who has inherited a chief’s seat in the Gayaxala (Thunderbird) clan, the first clan of the Gwawa’enuxw one of the 18 tribes that make up the Kwakwaka’wakw. Providing training about Indigenous Relations since 1994, Bob authored the bestselling book 21 Things® You May Not Know About The Indian Act, which has received national acclaim for its educational impact.
The Indigenous Relations Academy
With the rise in popularity of ICT’s training programs, the Indigenous Relations Academy was established to allow learners to continue their learning journey in an online self-guided format. Various courses explore the complexities of relations with Indigenous Peoples including Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples®and Indigenous Relations with programs being offered online in self-guided and live-guided formats, and in-person at public training events held across Canada. ICT’s Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples®Blog has received over 10 million views since 2014 and is a trusted resource for Indigenous Relations education.
Receiving Recognition and Looking Ahead
Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. has been recognized for its significant impact on Indigenous relations. Notably, the company received the British Columbia Achievement Foundation’s Indigenous Business of the Year Award in 2021, recognizing its influence in promoting change and furthering reconciliation initiatives between Indigenous peoples and Canada.
ICT looks forward to continuing to be the trusted training partner for those who want to build culturally competent, respectful, and safe environments for Indigenous peoples as they continue their individual and collective journeys toward healing. ICT invites everyone to join them in their goal to create positive and meaningful relationships that contribute to the preservation of Indigenous cultures, the advancement of Indigenous Rights, and helping to change the world for the better for everyone.
Take a tour of Indigenous Corporate Training Inc.’s official website to view its vast library of educational resources and to learn more about its various training programs. Click here.
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