ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen

Opportunity

To build a kitchen skills training program where members of the local Indigenous communities could learn the skills necessary to work in the kitchen of the BC Hydro Site C Two Rivers Lodge.

Approach

Understanding the barriers of working away from home in a work force accommodation setting, a training program was developed to not only introduce the local Indigenous communities to kitchen career opportunities but to also introduce them to the way of life in a lodge setting. All of the participants moved into the lodge for 5 full days where they learned life skills during the morning sessions and kitchen skills in the afternoon.

Outcome

In the first session, eight community members from five local Indigenous communities participated in the program and all were hired to join the ATCO team. With the opportunity to experience working away from home, Indigenous community members built future careers and shared the positive experience with their friends and families back home.