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Joint Economic Development InitiativeVolume 1, Issue 1October 2012

Inside this issue:

1 Message from ChiefExecutiveOfficer

2 JEDI News

4 Profiles

7 Partnership News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)Uponconsultationwithelders,OelipongegandWul-LigidenareMi’gmagandMaliseetwordsthatmeana“goodyear”.ThisishowIwoulddescribetheworkthat was completed in the 2011-2012 year for theJoint Economic Development Initiative Incorpora-tion(JEDI).

InordertobetterserveourclientsandpartnerstherewasarecognizedneedtobettercoordinateserviceswithinJEDIInc.Thishasresultedina“one-window”

approachwhichencompassesbothAboriginalwork-forcedevelopmentandAboriginaleconomicdevel-opment.Movingforward,JEDIInc.andtheAborigi-nal Workforce Development Initiative Inc. (AWDI)will operate with a merged Board of Directors todeliveraseamlessandefficientmodelforworkforceand economic development services. This will beleadbyaleadingAboriginalorganizationwithintheprovinceofNewBrunswick.

ThisinauguralJEDInewsletteristhefirstofmanytocomethatwillupdateyouonJEDIactivitiesandthesuccessstoriesthatresultfromtheworkwedo.JEDIwillpublishonenewsletterperquarter thatwillbeavailableontheJEDIwebsite,viaemailandthroughsocialmedia.

Thisyear isshapinguptobeaverybusyoneand Ilookforwardtosharingourstorywithyou.Ialsowel-cometheopportunitytocontinuetoworktogetherwithyouoverthenextyeartosupport“AboriginalParticipationinNewBrunswick’sEconomy”.

Sincerely,

LynnPoole-HughesCEOJointEconommicDevelopmentInitiative(JEDI)

The Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI) staff for 2012-2013 pose for a photo outside JEDI offices at St. Mary’s First Nation.

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The Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI) has merged with the Aboriginal Workforce Development Initiative (AWDI). This change will allow for a seam-less delivery of Aboriginal economic development and workforce development services in New Brunswick.

JEDI will now operate with an economic development arm and a workforce development arm that will rein-force the organization’s mandate to support Aboriginal participation in New Brunswick’s economy. JEDI will do this through supporting the development of Aboriginal entrepreneurs and small businesses; supporting com-munity economic development; supporting Aboriginal workforce development and supporting partnerships between Aboriginal communities as well as the pub-lic and private sectors. Programs and services now delivered through JEDI include the Aboriginal Work-force Development Initiative (AWDI), Community Adult Learning Services (CALS) delivery to Aboriginals, the Aboriginal Employment Facilitator (AEF), the Aboriginal Internship Program (AIP), the JEDI-Brunway Bursary, the JEDI Aboriginal Development Fund (JADF), the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group (AAWG) economic development national website, a variety of professional development opportunities for economic development professionals and Aboriginal businesspeople as well as a selection of support opportunities for Aboriginal entrepreneurs. JEDI is also proud of the many part-nerships and events it facilitates such as the quarterly JEDI Plenary. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and please feel free to contact JEDI anytime at 1-888-884-9870 or 506-444-5650. Please also visit www.jedinb.ca

JEDI-Brunway Bursary Applications Available

• The JEDI-Brunway Bursary offers two bursaries of $1,000 each to a full-time Aboriginal student attending studies in either the fieldsofBusiness,Engineeringorarelatedfieldofstudysuchassci-ence, computer science, environmental studies, mechanical and electrical technology and mathe-matics. The deadline to apply is October 28th. Ap-plications can be downloaded from the JEDI web-site or through this link: JEDI-Brunway Bursary

Aboriginal Entrepreneurship and Business Development

• JEDI now manages an Aboriginal business list that provides a record of Aboriginal businesses operat-ing in New Brunswick. The list will be used to com-municate with Aboriginal entrepreneurs, to survey their needs and to lobby for more programs and services to support Aboriginal businesspeople. If you are an Aboriginal entrepreneur, please add yourbusinesstothelistbyfillingouttheformavail-able on the JEDI website or through this link: JEDI Aboriginal Business List

• JEDI will soon be sending out a survey to Aborigi-nal entrepreneurs by email. It’s an opportunity for entrepreneurs to identify their business needs. The information they provide will be used to form future services, programs and professional development opportunities starting with a new round of work-shops beginning this December at the JEDI Ple-nary.

• JEDI is supporting a number of Aboriginal Eco-nomicDevelopmentOfficers(EDOs)toattendtheCANDO conference taking place in Membertou, Nova Scotia from October 22nd to 25th, 2012.

• JEDI sponsored the 2012 Ulnooweg Awards held in Halifax on September 17th, 2012. In addition to sponsoring the event, JEDI provided support to a number of the award winners from New Brunswick.Congratulations to all the winners!

• The JEDI Aboriginal Development Fund (JADF) supports community econonomic and business development. For more information or to apply, please visit the JEDI website at www.jedinb.ca or this link:JEDI Aboriginal Development Fund (JADF)

NEWS

Joshua Augustine from Elsipogtog First Nation receives a Google Nexus 7 from AWDI Executive Director Karen LeBlanc. Augustine won the prize as part of AWDI’s NBAICT contest in September 2012.

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Community Adult Learning Services (CALS)

• Community Adult Learning Services (CALS) Ab-original Provincial Coordinator Darrah Beaver is visiting communities to inform people about the services and opportunities available from CALS. Darrah invites anyone interested in meeting her to contact her directly. CALS offers a variety of sup-port for a wide range of community adult learning services such as General Equivalency Degree (GED) programs, Aboriginal Workplace Essential Skills (WES) classes and digital literacy instruction. Darrah can be contacted at 506-444-5650 or dar-rah.beaver@jedinb.ca

Aboriginal Workforce Development

• The Aboriginal Workforce Development Initiative (AWDI) invites anyone interested in a career in In-formation and Communications Technology (ICT) to apply to our New Brunswick Aboriginal Informa-tion and Communications Technology (NBAICT) project. NBAICT will start a series of new classes in January 2013. Instruction will be divided between an ICT orientation course and the student’s choice of training-for-employment as a Mobile Application Developer, a Network Support Technician/Admin-istrator or a Communications Technician. NBAICT ICT orientation classes began earlier this year at New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) Mi-ramichi, NBCC Fredericton and NBCC Grand Falls. The project has served about 75 students to date from the communities of Eel Ground, Mete-penagiag, Esgenoopetitj, St. Mary’s, Tobique and Kingsclear. Many off-reserve students have also attended the classes. Students in the ICT orienta-tion courses recieve Aboriginal Workplace Essen-tials Skills (AWES) accreditation as well as basic training that introduces a variety of ICT careers. To apply for NBAICT, please visit the AWDI website at www.awdi-nb.com or this link: NBAICT Application

• JEDI is pleased to welcome Penny Polchies as the new Aboriginal Employment Facilitator (AEF) work-ing as part of AWDI. Penny brings a wealth of expe-rience and skills to her position. She has a lengthy career in both economic and workforce develop-ment having worked for many communities and Aboriginal organizations. Penny will support work-ready employment candidates by providing career counselling, links to employers and assistance with findingemploymentinanyindustry.

Federal Payroll Centre Jobs

• Earlier this summer, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) partnered with JEDI to coordinate information sessions through AWDI regarding employment opportunities at the Fed-eral Payroll Centre in Miramichi. The facility offers hundreds of high-paying jobs with the federal gov-ernment. PWGSC and AWDI held many Federal Payroll Centre employment informaton sessions in a variety of communities in September 2012. PW-GSC will be notifying people about current and fu-ture job opportunities through the AWDI website at www.awdi-nb.com and the AWDI Facebook page.

Supporting Partnerships between Aboriginal Com-munities and the Public and Private Sectors

• JEDI is pleased to continue its partnership with the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group (AAWG) that sees JEDI manage the national AAWG Economic Devel-opment website. The AAWG consists of provincial and territorial governments across Canada as well as National Aboriginal Organizations (NAOs). This group seeks to work together to improve the well-being of Aboriginals across Canada. Please visit the website at www.aawgeconomicdevelopment.ca.

JEDI Plenary

• The next JEDI Plenary will take place on Thursday, December 13th from 10am to 4pm at St. Mary’s Entertainment Centre located at St. Mary’s First Nation. In keeping in line with tradition, it will be a Christmas Plenary. The event will feature keynote speakers, updates from JEDI as well as workshops providing useful information and resources on Ab-original economic and workforce development. Register online at this link: JEDI Plenary

NEWS

JEDI President Alex Dedam, left, poses with former CBC reporter Wab Kinew during the June 2012 JEDI Plenary.

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The Madawaska Maliseet First Nation is moving ahead with a multi-million dollar development that will trans-form the community and surrounding region. The Grey Rock Power Centre is a $13 million project located near the City of Edmundston, New Brunswick, whichwillprovideeconomicbenefitstotheMadawas-ka Maliseet First Nation and surrounding communities through construction jobs, sustainable employment opportunities, land lease and provincial tax revenues, new business development and the establishment of tenant businesses. Business plan projections indicate the centre will generate $320 million in sales, tax rev-enues,businessstart-upsandemployment in itsfirsteight years. “I feel wonderful,” says Madawaska Maliseet First Na-tion Chief Joanna Bernard. “It’s the fun part to come now.” Nine years in the making, The Grey Rock Power Cen-tre is taking shape alongside the Trans-Canada high-way near Edmundston. The 70-acre commercial centre is expected to welcome dozens of retail and hospitality businesses ranging from big box retail stores to a ho-tel.Awell-knowncommercialrealestatefirmhasbeenhired to assist with the project. The Government of Canada and Government of New Brunswick assisted the initiative with funding and other support. Bernard says the project required a lot of plan-ning, networking, collaboration and many referendums. Making the centre a reality also required persistence, she adds. “It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, right?,” says Bernard. Despite the long process, she says she always stayed focused on bringing the vision for The Grey Rock Pow-er Centre to life. The Trans-Canada Highway stretches 513 kilometres across New Brunswick. According to New Brunswick Department of Transportation figures, 6,000 vehiclestravel on the highway each day. Thirty percent of those vehicles are transport trucks. However, there are few retail and hospitality options along for the highway for travellers between the Quebec border with New Bruns-wick and Woodstock. “We’re taking advantage of the fact that there was noth-ing there,” Bernard says.

For Bernard, The Grey Rock Power Centre is located at a strategic point on the Trans-Canada Highway. “It’s going to create jobs,” she says.

The revenue from the centre will also provide Mada-waska Maliseet First Nation with program and service funding they won’t have to seek from the Government of Canada or Government of New Brunswick, Bernard adds. Madawaska First Nation boasts many entrepreneurs and businesses. All of those businesses will be sup-ported by the economic spinoffs of the Grey Rock Pow-er Centre, Bernard says. She thanked the Joint Economic Development Initia-tive for its support. “JEDI has helped me a lot,” she says, adding the orga-nization assisted her with accessing funding and mak-ing important contacts. nt Economic Development Initiative (JEDI) hasmergedwiththeAboriginalWorkforceDevelopmentInitiative (AWDI). This changewill now allow for aseamless delivery of Aboriginal economic develop-ment andworkforce development services inNewBrunswick.

JEDI will now operate with an economic develop-ment arm and aworkforce development arm thatwillsupporttheorganization’smandatetosupportAboriginal participation inNewBrunswick’s econo-my.JEDIwilldothisthroughsupportingthedevel-opment of Aboriginal entreprneurs and small busi-

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Madawaska First Nation Chief Joanna Bernard shows off the plans for her community’s new Grey Rock Power Centre during an EDO visit to Madawaska First Nation in June 2012. Construction on the Grey Rock Power Centre, located on the Trans-Canada Highway near Edmundston, has begun.

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Aboriginal Internship Program (AIP)

The goal of the Aboriginal Internship Program (AIP) is to provide Aboriginal people who have graduated from university within the last three years, preferably in the field of business or related areas, an opportunity towork in the field of economic development and gainmeaningful work skills, knowledge and experience. In addition, the AIP seeks to give opportunity to AIP host organizationstoidentifypotentialqualifiedemployees. AIP GuidelinesAIP is overseen by the AIP Working Group and coor-dinated by the Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI). The AIP Working Group and JEDI meet at least twice a year to gather information on the progress of the AIP, and provide recommendations and contacts with respect to the program. JEDI is also responsible to its funding partners in the federal and provincial gov-ernments as well as private and Aboriginal sectors. AIP EligibilityTo be eligible for the Program, all participants must hold auniversitydegree,preferablyinthefieldofbusinessorotherrelatedfieldsofstudy.TheAIPisfocusedpri-marily on recent Aboriginal university graduates who have graduated within the last three years and are currently unemployed or underemployed. The interns must be legally eligible to work in Canada.

A recent graduate looking to apply to AIP should submit the following:• An up-to-date resume detailing the individual’s

skills and work experience.• A cover letter explaining why they are interested in

the Program. Hosting an AIPBusinesses looking to host an intern should submit the following to JEDI:• A letter describing the organization’s interest in

hosting an intern.• An orientation plan for the intern.• A work plan, including anticipated knowledge and

skill outcomes for the intern.

Who can host an Aboriginal InternIn New Brunswick, provincial and federal government departments, agencies, crown corporations, Commu-nity Business Development Corporations (CBDCs), and Community Economic Development Agencies (CEDAs) that are part of the New Brunswick Enterprise Network are eligible to apply for AIP funding.

Current Aboriginal interns

PROGRAM PROFILE

Sky Perley is a Field Officer with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Shane Perley-Dutcher is an Aboriginal/International Recruiter with the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design.

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Through its New Brunswick Aboriginal Information and Communications Technology (NBAICT) project and Aboriginal Employment Facilitator (AEF), The Aborigi-nal Workforce Development Initiative (AWDI) works with many employer partners across New Brunswick in sectors ranging from Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to Natural Resources.

One key employer partner is Fredericton-based Pro-fessional Quality Assurance Ltd. (PQA). Founded in 1997, PQA is a solutions provider for software quality assurance, content quality assurance as well as learn-ing and content development. The company boasts cli-ents across Canada and around the globe.

As one of the largest independent software quality as-surance (QA) companies in Canada, with a staff of ap-proxiamately 100 professionals, PQA is a leader in its field.

PQA is committed to playing a key partner role in the NBAICT project by providing AWDI with key resources and employment for NBAICT students once they com-plete the training program.

For more information, please visit the PQA website at www.pqa.ca Did you know?• The New Brunswick Information and Communica-

tions Technology (ICT) sector has experienced tre-mendous growth in recent years. According to New Brunswick government statistics, the sector added 1,400jobsduringthe2011-2012fiscalyear.

• Careerbeacon.comfiguresshowthatICTjobscon-

tinuetobeoneofthetopfivemostadvertisedem-ployment openings in 2012.

• The average annual salary for someone working in ICT was $60,000 in 2010 according to the New Brunswick Information Technology Council.

• There are hundreds of available jobs in ICT ranging from Social Media Community Managers to User Interface Developers.

• New Brunswick-based Radian6, which started as an idea over coffee at Tim Hortons, sold to Sales-force.com in 2011 for $326 million. Another New Brunswick company, Q1 Labs, sold to IBM that same year for roughly $500 million.

nt Economic Development Initiative (JEDI) has

mergedwiththeAboriginalWorkforceDevelopmentInitiative (AWDI). This changewill now allow for aseamless delivery of Aboriginal economic develop-ment andworkforce development services inNewBrunswick.

JE

News

EMPLOYER PROFILE

Propel ICT Executive Director Trevor MacAusland speaks to the February 2012 JEDI Plenary held at St. Mary’s First Nation. Propel ICT is a non-for-profit organization designed to encourage ICT business startups in Eastern Canada. The Launch36 business startup accelerator program, Propel ICT’s feature initiative, is recruiting applicants.

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Aboriginal Workforce Development

Duringthe2011-2012fiscalyear,JEDIachievedmanysuccesses in Aboriginal workforce development. JE-DI’s activities in this area were achieved through the Aboriginal Workforce Development Initiative (AWDI), the Aboriginal Employment Facilitator (AEF) and the New Brunswick Aboriginal Workplace Essential Skills (NBAWES) project.

AWDI concluded its Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) project during the 2011-2012 fiscalyearbyexceedingitsfunders’targetsforthatinititative. AWDI helped 400 people during its ASEP workandassistedapproxiamately120peoplefindemployment within the sectors of Energy, Natural Resources, Forestry, Construction, Manufacturing and Environmental Technology.

The NBAWES project also concluded during the same year with much success. NBAWES produced New Brunswick’sfirstAboriginalWorkplaceEssentialSkills(AWES) curriculum as well as many other AWES resources for Aboriginal human resource specialists to benefitfrom.NBAWESalsotaughtWESto15Mali-seet and 15 Mi’gmag students in two seperate classes during the project.

Finally, the AEF worked to increase Aboriginal repre-sentation in the New Brunswick workforce. During the 2011-2012fiscalyear,theAEFmet50employersaswell as communicated 1,843 employment opportuni-tiesresultingin15positionsfilledbyAboriginalclients.

Aboriginal Economic Development

JEDI recently delivered Business Basics workshops in Elsipogtog, Tobique, Eel Ground and Saint John. These workshops provided participants with federal and pro-vincial business programming information as well as information on Federal procurement opportunities.

JEDI also met with 50 Aboriginal entrepreneurs. These sessions assisted individuals in business plan develop-ment and in seeking out potential funding sources for their start-ups and/or expansions.

The JEDI Aboriginal Development Fund (JADF) was established in April 2011 and has supported many dif-ferent projects leading to the establishment of new businesses as well as support for existing businesses.

New Partnerships

In July, JEDI and The Government of New Brunswick formed a partnership to promote and faciliate Pro-vincial Community Adult Learning Services (CALS) among Aboriginal communities and organizations.

In September, JEDI formed a new partnership with the Aboriginal Workplace Participation Initiative (AWPI) to increase efforts to assist Aboriginal entrepreneurs in New Brunswick with professional development and promotion. The AWPI partnership will also raise awareness of Aboriginal entrepreneurship in New Brunswick.

JEDI AT WORK

Participants in the Saint John Business Basics Workshop organized by JEDI and Ulnooweg Development Group share an opportunity to network.

The Government of New Brunswick and JEDI announced a new Community Adult Learning Services (CALS) partnership in July 2012.

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Established in 1995, the Joint Economic Development Initia-tive is dedicated to supporting Aboriginal participation inNew Brunswick’s economy through championing Aboriginaleconomicandworkforcedevelopment.JEDI isan innovativenon-profitorganizationthatworkscloselywithpartnerstode-velopmentandadministerprogramsandservicesthatsupporteconomicdevelopment, communityeconomicdevelopment,workforce development and partnerships with Aboriginalcommunities.

“Uponconsultationwithelders,OelipongegandWul-LigidenareMi’gmagandMaliseetwordsthatmeana“goodyear”.ThisishowIwoulddescribetheworkthatwascompleted inthe2011-2012year fortheJointEconomicDevelopment InitiativeIncorporation (JEDI).” Lynn Poole-Hughes, CEO, Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI)

Funding for the Joint EconomicDe-velopmentInitiative(JEDI)isprovid-edbytheGovernmentofCanadaandtheProvinceofNewBrunswick.

Joint Economic Development Initiative Telephone: 506-444-5650Toll Free: 1-888-884-9870Fax: 506-444-3387www.jedinb.cawww.facebook.com/jedinbwww.linkedin.com