History
Who We Are
CCATEC is a registered non-profit society, incorporated March 27, 1996. A Board of Directors, consisting of ten members, controls CCATEC. The communities and agencies that we serve nominate the members. In selecting the board members factors, such as tribal affiliation, gender balance, skills and knowledge, are considered. CCATEC strives for representation from the three tribal groups (Shuswap, Chilcotin & Carrier), as well as representation from off reserve organizations i.e. Friendship Centres in Williams Lake and Quesnel.
CCATEC evolved from the “One Window Concept” introduced by the BC Canada Employment Center (now called Service Canada/Human Resources Skills Development Canada) in the early 80’s. In the 80’s CEC wanted to ensure that First Nations had input into the training programs being delivered to First Nations populations. District Advisory Boards were formed. The role of these boards was to give advice to the Canada Employment Center on the approval of training and employment projects as applied for by First Nations communities. The role of the First Nations on these boards was purely advice. The final decision to fund projects rested with the government department.
In the late 80’s the rest of Canada decided to take a look at how BC worked with their First Nations. After the BC review, it was decided to take the BC experience and adapt it into a federal initiative. The initiative that resulted was called “Pathways to Success” and it received funding for five years and ended in March 1996.
Under the Pathways initiative the First Nations District Advisory Boards (DAB) had the option to become Aboriginal Management Boards and start developing the capacity to take on the delivery and management of CEC programs.
In 1993 the Cariboo Chilcotin District Advisory Board opted to become an Aboriginal Management Board. They incorporated as a society in September 1993, under the name of Interior Nations Training Society. They operated until March 1996, at which time the Pathways to Success initiative was replaced by the National Framework/Regional Bilateral Agreement.
The Minster of Human Resources Canada signed three National Framework Agreements with national leaders of the three First Nations groups (First Nations, Inuit, and Metis) as recognized under the Canadian Constitution.
The National Framework Agreements were negotiated for a three-year period, starting April 01, 1996 and expiring March 31, 1999. These agreements provided First Nations with the flexibility to develop and deliver HRCC like programs and services to First Nations.
Each province in Canada was required to negotiate directly with HRDC and enter into a Regional Bilateral Agreement. In BC the office of the Vice-Chief of the Assembly of First Nations coordinated the BC negotiations.
HRDC offered the right to develop and administer programs to First Nations, by First Nations, but refused to provide the Operation and Maintenance budget to support the development of the First Nations organizations that would be required to facilitate the delivery of programs.
The first Nations of the Cariboo Chilcotin directed the establishment of a central office for administration and CCATEC was established.
The first year of the new initative went by with no formal agreement reached between HRDC and BC First Nations. The Regional Bilateral Agreements in BC were not signed until June 1997.
During this period CCATEC operated under an interim agreement and provided training and employment services to our area First Nations under a Coordinating Group contract. The Aboriginal Training Unit in Prince George had the responsibility for continuation of programs and services to the First Nations of the Cariboo Chilcotin.
The Aboriginal Human Resource Development Agreements (AHRDA) replaced the Regional Bilateral Agreements. The AHDRA had a five-year window, starting in April 1999 and expiring in March 2004. The agreement was renewed in 2004 and targeted to expire March 2009 but received a one-year extension.
The Assembly of First Nations again signed off the AHRDA at the National and Provincial Level. Under these agreements AHRDA holders, such as CCATEC, took on additional program delivery responsibilities for Youth, Disabled programs.
The AHRDA agreement targeted to sunset March 2010 received another three- and six-month extension. CCATEC opted for a three-month extension to end June 30, 2010.
The new agreement “Aboriginal Skills Employment Training Strategy” (ASETS) was approved with a start date of July 01, 2010 and expiring March 31, 2015. The key elements to this agreement are employer engagement, partnerships, and accountability for improved results. The ASETS was extended and did sunset March 31, 2018.
The Indigenous Skills Employment Training Strategy (ISETS) began April 2019 and will sunset March 2029. The new 10-year agreement will work towards reducing employment, skills and earning gaps between Indigenous and non-indigenous citizens.
