As Canada's labour market evolves, advancing economic reconciliation requires a structural shift from transactional job matching to relational, strengths-based employment pathways that carry Indigenous talent from first application through to senior leadership. Grounded in the 2026 Weaving the Future joint forum between Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) programs and National Sector Councils, this free two-part series confronts the systemic barriers that surface at both ends of the employment lifecycle: rigid, standardized recruitment that screens out non-linear career paths, and thin onboarding, cultural isolation and self-advocacy-dependent promotion that drive attrition after the hire.
Across both sessions, participants will have the opportunity to hear from a diverse group of experts and panellists exploring the role that different actors across the career-development ecosystem can play in advancing culturally safe and responsive workforce practices – from frontline career development practitioners and employers, to post-secondary institutions through their Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programs, ISET offices and community-based organizations.
The series will also bring attention to and honour the diverse communities and places where Indigenous learners live, learn and work, including remote, hybrid and community-based pathways.
Participants will move from cultural awareness toward measurable, trauma-informed institutional accountability, leaving with a practical, human-first blueprint for culturally safe workforce practices.
Why Career Practitioners Should Attend:
This series equips career development professionals (CDPs) to advance the discussion on why concrete frameworks are needed to redesign hiring, retention and advancement so Indigenous candidates are fairly assessed, successfully placed and supported to lead. CDPs will learn to coach employers to pinpoint where recruitment breaks down and to broker the partnerships that make placements and promotions stick.
Attendees will also gain strategies for the geographic realities their clients face: supporting remote and hybrid roles so people can stay connected to vital community supports, championing community-delivered "earn while you learn" models designed in First Nations by First Nations, and easing transitions for rural and small-community learners entering complex urban institutions. Finally, practitioners will be able to identify low-cost, systemic policy changes that build culturally safe workplaces without constant new funding – strengthening the full employment lifecycle where culturally responsive practice matters most.
Specifically, your learning outcomes will include:
How to coach employers to pinpoint where recruitment breaks down and broker the partnerships between employers, community agencies, ISET offices and post-secondary institutions that make placements and promotions stick
Strategies for remote and hybrid roles, community-delivered "earn while you learn" models, and easing transitions for rural and small-community learners
How to identify low-cost, systemic policy changes that build culturally safe workplaces without constant new funding
By the end of the series, practitioners will walk away with a practical framework for strengthening the full employment lifecycle – from recruitment through to advancement – where culturally responsive practice matters most.
Webinar Series Overview
Monday, October 19 – 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm ET (check your time zone)
Moderator: Darian Kovacs. Panellists: Misty Waldorf, Kelly Johnson and Shaily Allison
In this webinar you will:
- Deconstruct systemic barriers in traditional corporate recruitment pipelines that inadvertently exclude Indigenous candidates with non-linear career paths
- Implement values-based, accessible interview alternatives, such as pre-interview dialogue, community-based conversations and early question-sharing
- Formulate structured partnership mechanisms (like MOUs) that clearly delineate roles between ISET offices, post-secondary institutions, community agencies, sector councils and employers including WIL placements that connect Indigenous learners to employers
- Design recruitment and placement pathways that support Indigenous jobseekers whether they remain in their home communities or transition into large urban institutions, including community-delivered “earn while you learn” models
- Identify low-cost, systemic changes to institutional policies and practices that create culturally safe spaces without requiring ongoing new funding
Monday, October 26 – 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm ET (check your time zone)
Moderator: Darian Kovacs. Panellists: Misty Waldorf, Lisa Pollio and Shaily Allison
This webinar will support you to better understand:
- Deconstruct the structural flaws of disjointed or brief onboarding models that fail to establish long-term trust and belonging for Indigenous hires
- Co-design high-impact Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) frameworks with post-secondary institutions, community agencies and employers that embed job shadowing, apprenticeships and paid mentorship into standard career progression
- Implement trauma-informed supervision, mental-health and wellness supports, and anti-racism accountability mechanisms across an employer’s full lifecycle
- Design retention and advancement pathways that support Indigenous employees whether they remain in their home communities through remote and hybrid roles or transition into large urban institutions
- Coordinate flexible, regionally responsive funding streams and low-cost systemic policy changes to safely cover localized retention barriers like tools, personal protective equipment (PPE), transportation and wraparound care
Meet the panellists and moderators
Darian Kovacs is the Indigenous founder of Jelly Academy, a leading digital skills training provider. With over 15 years of experience in education and skills training, Darian is a passionate advocate for reducing barriers to entry in the modern workforce and brings a unique perspective on how digital literacy and Indigenous-led training models can drive national economic success.
Laura McDonough is the Associate Director of Insights & Knowledge Mobilization at the Future Skills Centre, leading work to share high-quality research and data across Canada's skills ecosystem. She brings expertise in evaluation and equity, bridging data with lived experience to support more equitable and responsive workforce development.
Kelly Johnson is a Program Manager with Careers in Energy, a division of Energy Safety Canada. She brings over 20 years of experience in program management, workforce development and industry collaboration, including 10 years with the Government of Alberta. Kelly holds a degree in Business Administration from Bishop’s University.
Lisa Pollio has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector, including health and safety roles with Energy Safety Canada. Since joining the Careers in Energy team in 2018, she has shared her expertise on opportunities across traditional and emerging energy technologies. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science and the Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation.
Misty Waldorf is a proud Métis woman and Regional Program Manager with Métis Nation BC, where she leads Skills Training, Employment and Post-Secondary programming. She works with Métis communities and partners to create pathways to education, training and meaningful employment. Misty is passionate about leadership, mentorship and creating opportunities for others to succeed.
Shaily Allison is the Marketing and Engagement Manager at BuildForce Canada, leading initiatives in workforce development, industry engagement and labour market information. She brings a strategic, digital-first perspective to building more inclusive pathways into Canada's construction industry.
About CERIC
CERIC is a charitable organization that is dedicated to the advancement of education, research and advocacy in career counselling and development. We fund projects and provide innovative resources and learning opportunities that build the knowledge and skills of diverse career and employment professionals.