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Engineering Outreach: Partnering With the Assembly of First Nations

August 2010

Engineers Canada has been working with its constituent associations to improve diversity within the profession with the goal of it becoming more representative of the actual makeup of Canadian society. One of our objectives is greater participation of Indigenous people in Canada’s engineering programs and the profession. This objective led to the creation of the Indigenous People Outreach Task Force in 2006.

Nearly four percent of Canadians are of indigenous origin, and that population is growing at a much faster rate than the rest of the nation’s population. But an estimated less than one percent of professional engineers are Indigenous people.

I am pleased to report that Engineers Canada signed a historic partnership agreement with the Assembly of First Nations on July 22, 2010. The goal of this partnership is to increase awareness of, and access to, careers in engineering for Indigenous youth. The partnership calls for the development of educational material and new initiatives to increase the awareness among young people of indigenous origin of career possibilities in the engineering sector and about available and future training programs. Engineers Canada believes that, as professional engineers, Indigenous people will provide fresh perspectives on the resolution of engineering problems in their own communities, as well as across Canada, ultimately enriching the quality of life. The Indigenous community has much to teach us about adaptability and sustainability, two qualities the engineering profession is constantly striving toward.

Indigenous people in Canada are in great need of adequate infrastructure. Many of their communities require improved resources for housing, better water quality, and often face additional infrastructure challenges because of their remote locations. Communities in the North are also experiencing climate change at a rate much faster than the rest of Canada. In addition, many communities are located on or near resources that, if accessed with the benefit of indigenous knowledge, could be of tremendous value with the potential to help alleviate many of their community and infrastructure issues.

Many Indigenous people see the problems facing their communities and want to do whatever they can to help. The partnership agreement we signed with the Assembly of First Nations is one step toward this goal.

Our view is that the most effective way to address concerns in Indigenous communities is not for outsiders to take over, but for the engineering profession to provide support in the development of Indigenous engineers who can then take the lead and guide other members of our profession in how to best work within their communities. No one else is as equipped to understand the realities of the great challenges these communities face than their own people; they provide the best bridge between our cultures and we are hopeful that working together will make a difference for all of Canada.