Training & Development
The fishing industry can provide an exciting, life-long career with excellent salaries, a wide variety of work schedules, and opportunities for growth. Baffin Fisheries is a strong proponent of training and mentoring programs and will continue to make significant investments in career development. It is the aim of Baffin Fisheries to have skilled Nunavummiut throughout all levels of operations.
Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Consortium (NFMTC)
In 2003/04, Baffin Fisheries took the lead in creating the Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Consortium (NFMTC), with the goal of providing training to Inuit beneficiaries who are interested working in the fishing industry as a career. The formation of this organization was realized in 2005, through the assistance of various funding programs, including the Federal Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership Program (ASEP).
The focus of the initial agreement was to provide introductory training to Inuit beneficiaries to introduce them to the offshore fishing industry and to promote the fishing industry as a viable, rewarding career path. Baffin Fisheries has contributed more than $1.6 million to the NFMTC and continues to support its programs and initiatives.
In 2012 NFMTC signed a new agreement with the Government of Canada to provide training for individuals Nunavut-wide wishing to become part of the fishing industry or to increase their skills in the fishing industry allowing them to advance. This agreement focuses on several elements – getting the right people in the right courses, continued deliverance of introductory courses, increased number of higher-level courses, and the development of the mentorship program.