November 19, 1998

Anawak: Few Inuit are qualified in professions

Most Nunavut government jobs in senior finance, legal services, engineering, health and information technology will be held by non-Inuit — because there are few Inuit qualified to do them.

DWANE WILKIN
Nunatsiaq News

CAMBRIDGE BAY — Better than 50 per cent of new Nunavut government staff hired so far are Inuit, but a shortage of qualified professionals has presented an obstacle to recruitment, Interim Commissioner Jack Anawak reported this week.

That means the vast majority of government positions in senior finance, legal services, engineering, health and information technology will have to be filled by non-Inuit – for the foreseeable future, at least.

Speaking to delegates to Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.'s annual general meeting in Cambridge Bay on Tuesday, Anawak said more Inuit must be encouraged to enter the professions to ensure that all departments of the Nunavut government can be staffed at representative levels.

Deputy ministers are expected to complete draft reports on their own departmental Inuit Employment Plans next week. After consultation with NTI, a final plan should be ready early in the new year, said Marius Tungilik, the Nunavut government's deputy minister of human resources.

Tungilik said he is confident that the success of Nunavut human resources training strategies in turning out trained managers and administrators can be repeated in other fields, but it's going to take a concerted, co-operative effort among educators and leaders.

"When we are focused we can produce good results. We'd like to expand that to include other professional fields," Tungilik said.

Details of the Inuit Employment Plan will address youth education needs in Nunavut, too.

"I think we have to start with the kids, and how important it is that they stay in school, and how important it is to pursue a post-secondary education," Tungilik said.