b'TRADES EDUCATIONAn Indigenous student gaining hands-on experience at the First Nations Trade School in Thunder Bay, OntarioTRADING UPBy Andrew BrooksHow one of IndspiresD ennis Franklin Cromarty High School (DFC) in Thunder Bay, Ontario isnt your typical high Guiding the Journeyschool. Launched in 2000, DFC is a private First Nations high school that provides education for Award winners isIndigenous high school students in Grades 9 through 12 in Northern Ontario. DFC and its sister school, Pelican helping Indigenous highFalls First Nation High School in Sioux Lookout, deliver Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum and credits for schoolers build futurehigh school students from 23 First Nations communities in Northern Ontario and Indigenous high school students careers in the trades living in Thunder Bay. One of the most unique things about DFC is the First Nations Trade School (FNTS), a cooperative venture between DFC and the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council (NNEC). Here, Indigenous students gain hands-on experience in a variety of trades, from metalworking and automotive repair to hospitality and cuisine. The school has been in operation since 2017, and normally sees around 120 students a year. Ken Liddicoat, Chair of Technological Studies at DFC and FNTS coordinator, played a central role in founding the school. In recognition, he received Indspires Guiding the Journey Award: Partner in Indigenous Education in 2019. It is the only Guiding the Journey Award given annually to a non-Indigenous educator, recognizing the role that partner-ship and allyship plays in supporting Indigenous education.36indspiration2021'