Case Study $2$

Oitreanh Effinte

Currently, Indigenous individuals make up about $20$ percent of Manitoba Hydro's workforce. In northern Manitoba, where there is a greater concentration of Indigenous Peoples, $48$ percent of the corporation's

workforce is Indigenous. The creative ways in which the company works to achieve diversity and inclusion include the following:

a zero$-$tolerance policy of workplace harassment and discrimination;

an outreach and partnership program with Indigenous organizations to provide information about employment and training opportunities;

partnerships with postsecondary institutions to provide educational programs and career information and to brand Manitoba Hydro as an employer of choice:

a review of training programs to ensure that there are no systemic barriers; and

systematic recruitment efforts to introduce Indigenous individuals by means of internships, co$-$op placements, summer employment, and parttime work.

The most successful program is the preemployment training designed to facilitate the entry of Indigenous individuals into Manitoba Hydro's training programs, which are more like apprenticeship programs. The preemployment training provides academic upgrading. a rotation through three trades to familiarize candidates with these jobs, and workshops to deal with the concerns and issues about being away from home. Another innowative program is the utility's "Building the Circle