LAC SEUL – Another spring, another Lac Seul Career Fair.
The First Nation near Sioux Lookout is following up on the success of last year’s career fair with another one, set for April 30 at the Lac Seul Events Centre and nearby Frenchman's Head Complex and Obishikokaang School Gymnasium.
Last year’s event drew an estimated 1,000 visitors to check out more than 70 employers.
With exhibitor registration still open, this year’s career fair already has nearly 80 confirmed booths for employers ranging from Hydro One to Morgan Fuels to Synterra Security Solutions.
“We started planning a month ago and we can already tell that this is going to be another successful event,” said Gina Wesley, Lac Seul’s director of economic development.
“It's to show our young people what kind of opportunities there are, not only for Lac Seul but for youth in our region,” Lac Seul Chief Clifford Bull said when asked why the First Nation organizes career fairs.
“We invite all the local schools in the region to come out, whether they be in Kenora, Dryden, Sioux Lookout – anybody can come and talk to the exhibitors, and we have a lot of opportunities.”
He added that the event is “open for adults as well as youth.”
Lac Seul has made a tradition of holding career fairs because “it fosters growth, diversity and meaningful opportunities for both industry and youth that are looking at their career path,” said Bull.
“It’s an opportunity for organizations to showcase their mission and their culture – what they do as a company,” he said.
“It’s not necessarily a company, either,” he added. “It could be organizations, it could be hospitals or emergency personnel, it could be a police service – any kind of jobs that are out there.
“We invite people to attend and network with businesses and organizations, and there’s direct engagement with job seekers, so people can go up there and talk to a mining company, for example, and just ask questions.”
Lac Seul held career fairs annually for many years, but paused the practice in 2020-2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event returned in 2023 to great success.
Employers who have registered for this year’s edition include Wisk Air Helicopters, Grand Council Treaty #3, North Star Air, Perron Contracting, Treasury Metals, KDSB Northwest EMS Paramedics, TDC Contracting and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Exhibitors are “very receptive of this annual event,” said Bull. “They enjoy the interaction with the students.
“For the participants that show up, it's a good way to network and learn what sort of career path you want to go down.”
Barrick Gold and Obishikokaang Sagatay Gamik, a department within Lac Seul First Nation, are this year’s platinum-level sponsors.
Anyone interested in having a booth or sponsoring the career fair may contact event coordinator Lorraine Kejick, lorrainekejick@lacseulfn.org.
