Trades NL is hoping a new partnership with the Innu Nation and provincial government will help to result in greater opportunities for Indigenous workers in the skilled trades.

Trades NL Executive Director Darin King says the $1.45-million in funding over a three-year period will be used to establish an office in Labrador to advance Indigenous skilled trades.

King says while Labrador has seen a number of major projects in recent years, members of the Indigenous community haven’t always benefited to their full potential.

He says the focus will be on training and mentorship, with the aim of advancing apprenticeship opportunities to attain Red Seal certification for electricians, pipe fitters, carpenters and millwrights.

He hopes the program will expand to include other Indigenous groups in Labrador in 2021, as well as on the island.