• Training and skills development in the north is bringing people from diverse sectors together. People who don’t usually talk to each other now have a common cause. This must continue – all stakeholders must meet and find solutions together.
• The GNWT must make vocational training a priority. Aboriginal groups want a sense of belonging to something sustainable. In order to accomplish this, people will have to think creatively – go outside the box for answers.
• There must be trust relationships to talk about needs; and actions will only be relevant if needs have been explored.
• A trades skills school is needed – the money is there. But the will must be there too.
• People living in the north must learn to see themselves as having a competitive advantage. They already know how to live and survive in the north: southern workers won’t have this advantage when pipeline construction begins and workers are needed.
• Analysis has been done on what kinds of jobs the pipeline will create – now, it must be determined how capacity can be developed. Capacity is the answer. Work will breed more work whether the pipeline comes now or later.

What next?

• Information must be widely disseminated in terms of what skills industry wants workers to have.
• There is a database being compiled of all workers available for pipeline-related work.
• The Work Readiness Program will be implemented.
• All examples used in ABE should be from real life and real workplaces, and should be culturally aware.
• Introduce the Linkage Model.
• Involve and engage the school system.
• Personalize essential skills for the oil and gas industry (more focus on the learner, take the lead from the trainers who understand that essential skills are all about people)
• Core values must be identified and shared by all involved in developing capacity in the north – workers must be safe, workers must be given training, workers must have the opportunity to succeed.
• There should be a central organization to warehouse information and essential skills resources (a clearinghouse). This hub would be a nerve centre for all involved in building the essential, employability and technical skills of the north.
• The conference networking list is important for establishing a group of supporters to move forward.
• There must be a cross-industrial approach in the north – all stakeholders must be at the table (industry, education, 2 levels of government).
• Aboriginal Futures is an excellent example of collective and shared responsibility.
• Creativity will be important as the north attempts to overcome barriers and create a skilled workforce.
• There should be a follow-up workshop, one that focuses on the north as a community of people, one that highlights success stories.