Employment Services

Skills Partnership Fund (SPF)

The Government of Canada’s Skills and Partnership Fund (SPF) is a project-based fund that supports partnerships between Indigenous organizations and industry employers to provide skills training for Indigenous peoples linked to economic opportunities at the local, regional, and national level.

By increasing access to training that is demand-driven, the SPF plays a key role in directly linking training efforts and Indigenous peoples to specific jobs to improve their long-term employment outcomes.

The program is delivered by the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI in partnership with Abegweit First Nation and Lennox Island First Nation and is focused on the five industries listed below.

Current SPF Projects

Abegweit Construction

Participants will obtain skills and experience in areas such as: passive solar home construction; feasibility studies for community water, septic, and recycling systems; grass cutting, landscaping, snow removal; pest and rodent control; or building maintenance. Curriculum will be intertwined with real construction projects. The training will be in-person, delivered by Industry Experts and Red Seal Tradesmen and may include online training with training institutional partners.

Abegweit Hospitality

Participants will engage in the Indigenous Experiential Tourism industry. Training will include a focus on culinary food safety certifications, occupational health and safety, Point of Sale (POS) systems, and commercial processing operations. A particulary large focus on development of products and services, customer service, readying events locations, preparing necessary promotional material, and registering as vendors at markets, business development management, cultural marketing, brand development, pricing, and building industry partner relations.

Malpek Events & Hospitality

Participants will actively engage in the Indigenous Experiential Tourism industry with a focus on food catering. Participants will have the opportunity to complete accreditation in Food Safe (level1 and/or 2), Line Cook, PEI Best Service Excellence, Food & Beverage, E-merit TIAPEI, and Heritage Interpretation. The participants will complete highly recognized Mi’kmaq & Indigenous Cultural & Traditional knowledge teachings including, Elder teachings, storytelling, drum making, quillwork, and other historical Mi’kmaq art forms.

Malpek Oysters – Blue Economy

Participants will receive training directly linked to the areas of the blue economy, including aquaculture species and ocean management, production, fish processing, shellfish hatchery management, oyster farming, farm-to-table business model, packaging, Department of Fisheries and Oceans guidelines and regulations, Government of Prince Edward Island Lands & Environment, bio-food, diving, cage and equipment manufacturing, sales and services, maritime marine transportation and related boat safe operation certifications.

Urban Digital – Charlottetown, PE

Participants will receive training in areas including, interactive media, social media content, computer programming and application development, data management, digital creation, graphic design, data administration, and website content development. Training will be delivered using various methods, including in-person delivery by the technology experts, and online through various Digital Platforms.

Get Involved

Employer Opportunities

Are you an employer in Epekwitk (PEI) looking to elevate and diversify your workforce? Funding is available through the Government of Canada’s Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) program to support the employment of Indigenous talent and create valuable work experiences.

Apply Now