This fractured development in Manitoba has led to a lack of clarity or consistency for ECs in rural and northern Manitoba. Snapshot (CSGCDP, 2004) discussed the purpose of standards and guidelines for career development practitioners. This report also emphasised the need for provincial consistency in the development of ECs. The report stated, “There is a growing demand for career services and currently there is little regulation of the nature, quality, and accessibility of services or of providers”
(p. 2). Once again this finding primarily related to the EC who is farther away from an urban centre and not an employee of the government. The Province of Manitoba has currently established a workgroup of employees looking at the application of the National Standards and Guidelines for provincial staff. There did not seem to be any connection between EC performance standards and the employment requirements on First Nations reserves. Participant E stated, “The government of Canada gave us the raw end of the deal when they signed this agreement with the First Nations. You know, where would we get an [experienced] EC in [name of community]?”
The third conclusion in the area of workplace conditions presents evidence that current funding in rural and northern Manitoba for employment development is insufficient. Mendelson (2004) told us things are not getting better, so something is not working under the current funding situation. Mendelson’s report clearly stated, “This means that we have not made progress in five years [1996–2001] in improving the labour market position of Aboriginal peoples relative to the general population”
(p. 18).
The EC in rural and northern Manitoba is not included or consulted at a level that contributes to their job success. The labour market attachment of Aboriginals in Canada is a complex process that requires an integrated and collaborative effort. ECs must be empowered to act and Stewart et al. (2003) provided a good description of the impact of empowerment. Empowerment has been defined as “pushing down decision-making responsibility to those close to internal and external customers. To support high involvement, organizations must share information, knowledge, power to act, and rewards throughout the workforce”
(p. 91). The ability to provide long-term client supports with a myriad of partners is crucial for the successful EC. Participant C commented, “I’m just hoping [this research] will bring out the fact that we need to look more globally at things than we do now.”