By Tamara Shaw, Community Liaison Officer, Drax
In Canada, unemployment and training levels for Indigenous peoples runs between 11 and 22 percent, with youth unemployment rates routinely making up a large portion of those who are unemployed. For over 20 years, Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP) has been working to change these statistics and better the lives of Indigenous youth across Canada. Through a network of land-based education, training, and work opportunities for high school aged youth, OYEP “is a six-week work experience providing training and education in a supportive space that replicates various work environments.”
OYEP students guess the types of fibre used to make Drax pellets.
This summer, a group of Drax employees from Vancouver and Prince George joined 19 OYEP students and staff to present a cheque for $100,000 from the Drax Foundation. They discussed what Drax does, career opportunities, the skills Drax looks for, and gave practical resume building tips. The Drax Foundation grant will help OYEP to continue providing Indigenous youth with the skills training and career preparation to build and inspire the next generation of the workforce.
“Meeting with the Summer 2025 OYEP students was a great experience,” said Tamara Shaw, Community Liaison Officer for Drax. “Speaking with them about their career aspirations and engaging in hands-on activities such as guessing fibre types and practicing a safety drill on the proper use of PPE was a fun way to show students a different side of the industry.”
OYEP students participate in a proper use of PPE safety drill.
The OYEP program “takes an inclusive approach to Indigenous education, recruitment, retention and provides a safe and predictable learning environment that can be tailored to meet the needs of local communities and partners.” OYEP collaborates with local Indigenous communities and consults with Elders to ensure youth feel culturally and spiritually supported in the workplace.
This visit on location strengthened our partnership with OYEP and reinforced Drax’s commitment to a Just Transition by improving access to STEM education and green skills training for people.
To learn more about OYEP, visit OYEP – Home
To learn more about Drax’s commitment to the communities we operate in, visit Our Communities – Drax Global
Featured image caption: Drax colleagues present a $100,000 donation from the Drax Foundation to OYEP.
