Employment Training

Culturally-Responsive Job Readiness Employment Training for Indigenous Communities

Employment barriers for Indigenous job seekers extend beyond traditional skills gaps—systemic challenges, cultural disconnection, and logistical constraints often hinder access to meaningful work. This case study explores developing and implementing culturally responsive job readiness employment training programs to address these challenges. Through collaboration with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community leaders, these programs provided participants with essential job-readiness skills while honouring Indigenous knowledge and traditions. By adapting training methods to meet diverse community needs and incorporating the Two-Eyed Seeing approach, the initiative successfully enhanced employment outcomes, strengthened cultural identity, and laid the foundation for long-term workforce inclusion.

Overview

First Nations, Metis, Inuit, and Urban Indigenous communities across Canada continue to face barriers to employment, including systemic discrimination, lack of access to job training, and programs that fail to incorporate Indigenous ways of learning. To address this, employment training initiatives were developed to provide culturally relevant job-readiness training for Indigenous youth and adult learners from various nations across what we now call Canada. (Connect with us to see what communities we have worked with.)

These programs, grounded in specific Indigenous knowledge, culture, and ceremony, were designed to prepare participants for employment while reinforcing their connection to traditional teachings. The Two-Eyed Seeing framework was central to the training design, ensuring that Indigenous and Western knowledge systems were woven together to provide a wholistic learning experience. Training included resume building, interview skills, workplace readiness, financial literacy, and much more while integrating Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community leaders into the learning experience. Over several years, these initiatives successfully trained more than 500 Indigenous participants, ensuring long-term sustainability by developing facilitation guides, instructor mentorship, and community-based models. 

Key Findings

• Cultural relevance drives higher engagement.

  Traditional Western job readiness programs often fail to engage Indigenous learners. Incorporating cultural teachings, ceremonies, land-based learning, and the Two-Eyed Seeing approach increased participation and retention rates.

• Employment barriers extended beyond skill gaps.

  Many participants faced challenges related to discrimination, isolation due to living in fly-in communities, and a lack of cultural awareness within workplaces.

• Community leadership strengthens program impact.

  The involvement of Elders and local facilitators was essential in guiding the training process and ensuring it reflected the unique needs of each organization and community.

Solutions

• Developed culturally tailored curricula.

  Developed culturally tailored curricula for job readiness and employment training, ensuring alignment with the various Nations’ values and traditions. This includes Two-Eyed Seeing or the Two-Worlds View, which guided the integration of Indigenous knowledge with Western employment practices.  

• Created facilitation guides and training materials.

  Created facilitation guides and training materials to support the long-term implementation of the programs in multiple communities. 

• Mentored and trained facilitators.

  Mentored and trained facilitators, ensuring community members could continue delivering job-readiness training independently.

Impact

• Over 500 Indigenous learners-so far.

  Over 500 Indigenous learners completed job readiness and employment training, equipping them with essential workplace skills. 

• Increased workforce readiness.

  Increased workforce readiness by nurturing confidence in participants and strengthening their ability to secure sustainable employment. 

• Strengthened Indigenous-led training capacity.

  Strengthened Indigenous-led training capacity, allowing these programs to be adapted and expanded within multiple Indigenous communities. 

Challenges

1. Participant Barriers

• Many participants had significant gaps in their resumes (for various reasons) and limited experience in structured employment settings, as they were often accustomed to working in their communities, where informal support systems and shared responsibilities were standard.

• Childcare responsibilities and travel logistics made it difficult for those attending in-person training. 

2. Cultural and Learning Differences

• Many participants had attention challenges, as they were more accustomed to hands-on work rather than long classroom-based learning sessions. Applying a Two-Eyed Seeing approach helped bridge this gap by integrating experiential, land-based learning alongside structured employment preparation, allowing participants to engage in ways that aligned with their strengths.

• Some communities struggled with integrating traditional practices into the curriculum due to heavy religious (Christian) influence within their lives, making engaging in cultural elements of the training difficult for several participants.

3. Facilitation Challenges

• Engagement was challenging in both in-person and online settings. In-person sessions required strategies to manage attention deficits, while online sessions were often interrupted, making it harder to maintain participant focus.

• Facilitators who embraced Two-Eyed Seeing could balance Indigenous storytelling and Western teaching methods, increasing learner engagement.

Lessons Learned

1. Interactive & Applied Learning Increases Engagement

• Participants engaged best when the program incorporated hands-on activities, videos, and real-time application of lessons. 

• Traditional lecture-style delivery was less effective, as many participants struggled with extended classroom learning, so practical exercises reinforced key concepts and improved retention.

2. Program Flexibility & Customization Are Essential

• A rigid schedule was challenging for many participants, particularly those with childcare responsibilities or those securing employment mid-program. 

• Different communities had varying needs—some required more cultural content, while others prioritized job-readiness skills like Excel. Adapting the curriculum and scheduling improved participation and outcomes.

3. Cultural Integration Strengthens Learning but Requires Sensitivity

• Elders and Knowledge Keepers were vital in participant engagement and cultural relevance. However, some communities, especially those with strong Christian influences, found it difficult to connect with traditional practices. 

• Applying the Two-Eyed Seeing framework helped facilitators navigate these differences by ensuring that cultural elements were presented alongside Western employment strategies in a way that was respectful and inclusive.

Our Recommendations

1. Enhance Support for Participants Facing Barriers

• For in-person sessions, additional support should be provided for participants. 

• A more flexible schedule (e.g., fewer class days per week over a longer period) would help those who miss a session catch up and avoid feeling left behind. 

• While in-person training is often more effective, online delivery remains crucial for participants with childcare or travel constraints.

2. Increase Employer Training on Indigenous Inclusion

• To ensure successful employment transitions, businesses should receive training on Indigenous history, systemic barriers, anti-discrimination practices, and creating more inclusive workplaces. This should include ongoing learning rather than one-time sessions. 

• Employers should also be encouraged to create culturally safe spaces and offer mentorship opportunities for Indigenous employees.

• Two-Eyed Seeing can be integrated into this training to help employers understand how blending Indigenous and Western approaches can lead to more effective and culturally safe work environments.

3. Improve Accessibility and Program Delivery Models

• Future iterations of the program should offer in-person and hybrid options to accommodate different learning needs. Community-based training hubs or partnerships with local organizations could provide accessible spaces for learning. 

• Additionally, offering micro-credentialing or certification could improve participant employability.

• Two-Eyed Seeing could also inform this revision, ensuring that both Indigenous and Western knowledge systems are embedded into the learning environment.

• Developing culturally informed e-learning options that are accessible via smartphone would reduce some barriers such as the inability to leave the community.

4. Strengthen Employer Partnerships and Hiring Practices

• Stronger partnerships with employers should be established to create clear pathways to employment for program graduates.

• Employers should be encouraged to offer work placements or on-the-job training. This could include incentive programs for businesses that successfully retain Indigenous employees.

5. Develop Long-Term Sustainability Strategies

The program should secure long-term funding and establish ongoing consultation with Indigenous communities to ensure continued success.

• Additionally, implementing a tracking system to assess employment outcomes post-training would provide valuable insights into the program’s effectiveness and areas for improvement.