Indigenous Students Making Gains Towards Higher Learning

SD83 Indigenous students have a chance this week to learn more about the educational options available to them in BC once they graduate from Grade 12. A group of Indigenous recruiters from five of BC’s post secondary institutions (PSI) are travelling to the district’s high schools this week to talk about the academic, trades and technical programs they host. Recruiters from Okanagan College, University of BC, Thompson Rivers University, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and University of Victoria met with Salmon Arm students at SAS and JL Jackson today. Tomorrow, they are travelling to AL Fortune in Enderby and Pleasant Valley Secondary in Armstrong and then will visit Eagle River Secondary students in Sicamous Thursday morning.

TRU Indigenous Recruiter Sammie Hanson helped coordinate and resurrect the event with other PSI recruiters. Now in its second year, ‘Strengthening Connections’ has expanded from last year by touring the Caribou/Chilcotin, Kootenays and Vancouver Island this fall. Hanson says these events are working as Thompson Rivers University has seen a 46 percent increase in indigenous students enrolled at their campus compared to last year. Hanson credits that increase in part to indigenous recruiters making specific attachments with indigenous youth. “I find that having a connection with different advisors, especially ones that are indigenous, gives youth a different approach and gives the student more of an understanding of what each school offers.”

In the fall, many BC PSI recruiters visited the district’s high schools in a single event open to all students. Hanson said the deliberate act of reconciliation that SD83 is doing with these institutions in having this specific event for indigenous youth are critical for those young people.

“There are a lot of barriers in Indigenous communities. Going from any community to a bigger city is hard for anyone let alone the challenges indigenous youth generally face,” said Hanson. “So, facilitating more of their needs in more of a one-on-one approach will make them more comfortable to consider a higher education option.” Although the numbers are improving in SD 83, Indigenous five and six year graduation rates still remain below the general school population.

A reminder this is Careers Week in BC. There are many events taking place including two parent sessions tonight and Thursday night as well as a student event on Green Careers in Engineering Thursday afternoon. If you wish to learn more, please visit our website at career.sd83.bc.ca. If you have any great ideas for career activities or want to learn more about other opportunities, don’t hesitate to contact District Career Education Coordinator George Richard via text or phone at 778-824-1188 or you can email grichard@sd83.bc.ca.