SUCCESS STORIES
The success of each community member makes our communities stronger.
ATC is committed to helping our members achieve their goals, pursue their dreams, and develop a deeper connection to their community, the land, and our culture.
By celebrating our members’ successes and telling their stories we can inspire others, learn, grow, and be more connected.
Below you can read all our success stories or you can search by the ATC department that assisted the member to their success.
Emily P.
Emily is a twenty-three-year-old from Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nations in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. In 2018, she moved to Fort McMurray to make a better life for herself with more work opportunities, and has since participated in the Haul Truck Operator program through Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC).
Norma j.A.
Forty-nine-year-old Norma is a mother and grandmother from Fond Du Lac First Nation in Saskatchewan. It was in Saskatchewan where she graduated from high school, and went on to complete her Heavy Equipment Operator course.
Fallon T.
Fallon is a 36-year-old from the Neskonlith Indian Band of the Secwepemc Nation of British Columbia. From reading a Facebook post made on the Athabasca Tribal Council’s (ATC) Facebook page about the Security Services program, Fallon was able to register and participate in this program.
Tasheena C.
Twenty-six-year-old Tasheena is from Mikisew Cree First Nation, and has a beautiful one-year-old daughter. She has a passion for the beauty industry and helping others feel confident in their skin.
Tasheena participated in three courses: brow lamination, brow henna, and lash lifting and tinting at Beauty 2 Brows. Beauty 2 Brows is the first Indigenous beauty academy in Canada.
Donal V.
Thirty-two year old Donal has been aspiring to become a professional firefighter since he was young. A member of the Mikisew Cree First Nation in Fort Chipewyan, he joined the Fort Chipewyan Volunteer Fire Department at the age of 16. By the time he was 25, Donal was the captain of the fire department.
Cynthia H.
Cynthia is a 29-year-old mother of five from Janvier. Having recently moved back to Fort McMurray, she heard about the Urban Indigenous Employment Preparation Program (UIEPP) Upskilling Program and recognized that it would be a great opportunity for her and her family.
Christine S.
Forty-one-year-old Christine was born and raised in Hay River, Northwest Territories, and is a proud member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. She is a mom and a stepmom of two wonderful girls, Clover age three and a half years old and Lucy age 15.
Shaye C.
Shaye is a 21-year-old proud member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. She was born and raised in Fort McMurray, and later moved to Fort Chipewyan as a teenager.
When considering her career options, Shaye heard about the Community Based Environmental Monitoring (CBEM) program through Keyano College; CBEM turned out to be the program she felt most passionate about, and so she enrolled.
Penelope G.
Twenty-seven year old Penelope is a member of the Tsleil-Waututh nation. She has lived in many places, from Winnipeg to Vancouver Island, but to her, Fort McMurray will always be home.
When Penelope found herself laid off from work, she recalled the words a wise woman once said to her: “If you’re not working, go to school!” She saw an ad for the Urban Indigenous Employment Preparation Program and immediately signed up for the Upskilling Program, knowing that completing the program would open more doors for her.
Charlie L.
Charlie is a 33-year-old proud member of the Fort McKay First Nation. He was born and raised in Fort McKay, but after graduation moved to the Northwest Territories.
Fort McKay ISETS has been sponsoring Charlie since he started his aviation career path after high school, and while he was completing his college diploma for Aircraft Maintenance.
Anthony G.
Anthony is a 38-year-old member of the Fort McKay First Nation. He is engaged to Ashley, and together they parent three children, a dog, and two cats. Anthony applied to Trade Winds’ Iron Worker Pre-Employment Training Program after finding out about it on the Internet.