Hiring for passion and potential: IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples

As federal public servants, we develop and deliver programs and services for everyone in Canada. To do this well, we need to create a workforce that’s representative of the people we serve. 

That is where programs like the Government of Canada IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples comes in.  As the first graduate of the program, Jamie Boomhour is sharing his experiences, as well as the impacts and importance of increasing inclusion in the Information Technology (IT) space.

What is the Government of Canada IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples?

The Government of Canada IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples is designed with and for Indigenous Peoples to create a pathway to employment in the federal public service for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples who are passionate about Information Technology (IT). ​​The program was designed to respond to reconciliation and the building of a renewed relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnership with Indigenous peoples (source: IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples)​​. By focusing on a person’s potential, instead of on their educational attainment level, this program helps to remove barriers that many Indigenous Peoples face when it comes to employment within the digital economy. 

The program follows a 24-month structure that combines on-the-job learning and developmental online training in IT (an 80/20 split), ​​​​while allowing the individuals to remain in their home communities when possible. The program has also established a Circle of Support where participants are partnered with a mentor who provides guidance and advice throughout the apprenticeship as well as a peer partner who they can shadow and go to for day-to-day support. 

By the end of the Program, participants have marketable skills, and the confidence they need to enter into the Canadian digital workforce, both within and outside the public sector. All successful participants are issued a digital certificate signed by the ​​Chief Information Officer of Canada at the completion of the program that fulfils the alternative educational requirement of the IT minimum Qualification Standard (source: Government of Canada IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples – Alternative Educational Requirements) and enables career mobility across the GC. There have been 139 successful participants (as of January 31, 2024), and the program has now received applications from every province and territory.  

To learn more, we spoke with Jamie Boomhour, the first graduate of this program. While Jamie’s experience within the program was very unique, we spoke with him about his time in the Program and how this apprenticeship impacted his life and career.  

Can you share a bit about yourself and what got you interested in IT?

I’m a Mohawk from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory reservation just outside of Belleville, Ontario. I lived at home on the reserve until I turned 21 and then moved into Belleville for work. My work history consists mostly of manual labour, factory work, retail work, and some food service. I didn’t have many opportunities for post-secondary education as it was unaffordable for me. I was classified as a C-31 non-status Indian until I turned 28, but when the C-31 bill was amended I was able to apply for my native status. Until that point, many of the programs in place for Indigenous peoples to receive post-secondary education were not available to me, as I didn’t fit the criteria.

I was laid off from my job as a driver at a recycling plant due to the economic hardship brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. I had been laid off for almost a year when my wife showed me a posting from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) looking for an Indigenous worker to aid in provisioning hardware for government workers working from home at the start of the pandemic. In April 2020, I started working for ESDC on a 90-day casual contract. However, when this contract ended, I couldn’t stay on as I didn’t have the required educational background. I was out of work from the end of the contract in August 2020 until I was brought back on a term contract with ESDC in December of 2020 for the position I had previously held as a casual employee. It was at this point I found out I was to be the first person enrolled in the IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples.

Can you tell us how you got your start with the IT Apprenticeship Program? 

My case was very unique. When I heard about the IT Apprenticeship Program, I was already in it! The program was brand new, being built from the ground up, and I was their first participant. When I came back to work for the government I was told about the new program and how it was designed to be a bridge to break barriers for Indigenous peoples interested in IT positions within the public service. When I received my original casual contract in April 2020, I knew getting a permanent position was a long shot due to my lack of education. So, when I was told I couldn’t be kept on after my contract, I was disappointed but not surprised. When I was brought back, I was excited because it was an opportunity that I never thought was possible.  

I didn’t go through ​​the application and interview process that newer apprentices have gone through as the program was assembled around my return to work within the government. When I came into the apprenticeship, it was still in its infancy and was being developed as I went through it. I refer to myself as the guinea pig for the program.

What was your experience going through the IT program?

One thing that surprised me while going through the IT program was how much there is to learn. I have always been passionate about computers and technology, and the training that was required as part of the program was invaluable. The mix of hands-on learning, as well as computer-based learning, aided me throughout the program and provided me with the knowledge and skills needed for me to be comfortable and confident in my work. 

The apprenticeship taught me various skills working within networking systems that I still use in my job today. I can now configure networks, perform analytical tasks, understand coding, and work in Linux environments. I have learned many skills that look great on a resume and make me invaluable as an employee within the public service for years to come. 

New programs always face challenges. For me, the combination of hands-on learning as well as self-guided computer learning was great, but difficult to balance. When my work started to get busier, my training time started suffering. However, overcoming this problem was not as bad as I thought it would be. I had a very good manager who took the time to sit with me and put together a training schedule that would allow me to take time away from the day-to-day operations of my job and dedicate a few hours a week to the training that needed to be completed as part of the curriculum.

Why do you think this type of program is important for Indigenous peoples? What did it mean to you?

This program is important for Indigenous peoples because I feel a lot of us are never really made to feel like we can succeed. For most of us, a position working within the government is something we would have never thought possible with our background. Coming from a reservation that is half an hour or more away from the city, Indigenous people can feel somewhat segregated. We can feel like the reserve is the only place we belong, so we don’t try to leave to find better opportunities. The apprenticeship program gives us a chance to work within the government and also stay in our home communities. Being able to stay where you’re comfortable while also bettering yourself and creating a career is an amazing opportunity and opens so many doors that we felt were closed to us.  

I am beyond proud to have been a part of the program at its inception and to see it take off the way it has. I’ll always be an ambassador for the apprenticeship whenever asked. I have nothing but good things to say about the GC’s IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples as it changed my life for the better, as well as the lives of my children.

What tips would you give others who want to go through the program or for those who want to hire an apprentice and create more diverse and inclusive work environments?

The tips I can offer to anyone looking to join the apprenticeship are to do as much research as possible on positions available in the public service and see where you think you would best fit. Nobody expects you to be an expert when you first start, so don’t get discouraged! There will be bumps along the way but remember why you joined the program and work toward your goals. Getting your foot in the door is the biggest step, everything else is just icing on the cake.

To help foster positive experiences and create a more diverse and inclusive public service, hiring managers and department heads need to recognize there’s a lot of Indigenous talent available, we just need to be given a chance. Listening to concerns and ideas from the apprentices can lead to many great things for the public service in the future.

Interested in learning more?

The program has come a long way since Jamie’s time there. Are you an Indigenous person interested in working in tech in the federal government, or a hiring manager looking for new talent? Maybe the Government of Canada IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples is for you! ​​​​Visit the website (available in English, French, Michif, Plains Cree, Western Ojibwe and Mi’kmaw) and learn more today!