b'TRADES EDUCATIONLiddicoat is from Thunder Bay. After attending university and college, he apprenticed as a mechanic and worked for 15 years. In 2007, DFC was looking for someone to teach transportation technology, and Liddicoat made the move. In 2012 he switched to the public system, but he was back at DFC two years later, drawn by the opportu-nity to launch the FNTS. The school has faced numerous challenges, with funding at the top of the list. Because DFC is a private school, it cant receive financial support through the public system. But securing funding as a First Nations school is also a problem, because that support is normally allocated to First Nations singly. DFC doesnt belong to any one First Nation but serves 23 of them. Fortunately, the founders secured an infrastructure grant through Ontarios Aboriginal Community Capital Grants Program (ACCGP). This provided most of whatKen Liddicoat played a key role in founding the was needed to renovate classrooms for their new role asFirst Nations Trade School, enabling Indigenous trade shops. Other sources made up the shortfall. youth to develop careers in the trades Once the support was in place, work proceeded quickly,whove been successful and are still pursuing and on February 19, 2017, the First Nations Trade Schooltheir dreams. held its grand opening, launching with an automotiveOn his last road trip, Liddicoat was excited to see a shop, a hospitality room and a manufacturing technologyformer student in charge of maintenance and upkeep shop. Currently there are three teachers on staff,for a communitys high school and elementary supported by Indigenous Elders who are on hand toschool. Hes heard about other successful graduates help centre the curriculum around Indigenous culturetoo, though its tough to stay in touch since students and values, and to provide a supportive and familiardisperse back to their communities after graduating.atmosphere for students. THE LABOUR CRUNCHThe timing couldnt be better. The trades across Canada are facing a labour crunch as the Baby Boomer genera-tion retires, and Liddicoat, who works as a mechanic in the summer months, sees the squeeze firsthand. Theres a shortage of tradespeople in every community, across all trades. Us old guys arent going to be around forever, he notes.The FNTS not only helps position future Indigenous tradespeople for a promising and rewarding career, it also has huge potential benefits for their communities and for them personally, Liddicoat says. These classes help build life skills that are transfer-able and needed in all communitiesopportunities for employment, apprenticeship opportunitiesSmall universityand entrepreneurial opportunities. of big opportunities Primarily undergraduate Liddicoat also believes that staying in touch with the Focused on liberal arts communities that the FNTS serves is a vital part of his More than 25 academic majors work. Hes first to volunteer for school road trips with Classes capped at 60 studentsstudents, including hockey and broomball trips as well Indigenous Student ServicesElder-in-Residence as student intake trips. This gives him a chance to meet Wabanaki Student Centrefuture students and some past ones. Meeting commu-Indigenous Experiential and nity members, seeing where the students live andCommunity Based Learning visiting their communities provides perspective, he says.Learn more at STU.caI get a lot of satisfaction from seeing former students 2021indspiration37'