Abstract
Developing skills to navigate career development and management is critical to a student’s long-term success and overall well-being. However, Indigenous students do not access career education at the same rate as non-Indigenous students. A 2010 report from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada documented a high unemployment rate for Indigenous youth between ages 15 and 24—double and triple the rates of non-Indigenous youth. This can be attributed to colonial oppression in Canada resulting in various societal problems that impact Indigenous peoples disproportionately. The 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission resulted in 94 Calls to Action that mandate ways for all societal sectors to increase intercultural competency. Specifically, #92 calls for an increase in opportunities for economic development. To better support Indigenous students seeking career opportunities, academic career practitioners require intercultural skills. Yet, Western educational practices, including career education, do not always align with Indigenous philosophies and self-concepts. Additionally, Indigenous pedagogy has not always been accepted in post-secondary institutions. Because modeling is an important aspect of career education, our university hired an Indigenous career coordinator to respond to the needs of Indigenous students and employers. I will describe methods that one Canadian university has implemented to address this gap, explore challenges facing Indigenous students, and share practices used in this specialized position. The study will employ a mixed methods approach comprised of a quantitative survey with several open-ended questions, disseminated to all Indigenous students at the university. Additionally, semi-structured interviews will take place with a subset of students who will self-select.
Author Information
Robline Davey, Simon Fraser University, Canada
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