玛雅视频app


Three Indigenous students gather around woodworking equipment and tools.

Working together to carve life into 玛雅视频app鈥檚 Strategic Plan

Cowichan canoe builder, Francis Wilson, is guiding Indigenous trades students through the process of creating paddles with designs reflecting 玛雅视频app鈥檚 strategic priorities.

A man stands with a canoe paddle in a woodworking shop

玛雅视频app

Francis Wilson holds one of the canoe paddles that IPTT students have prepared.

Students from 玛雅视频app鈥檚 Indigenous Peoples in Trades Training program are applying their new carpentry skills by preparing the red and yellow cedar paddles for the designs. The artwork, created by 玛雅视频app alum and Coast聽 Salish artist Dylan Thomas and featured on the six priorities of the Strategic Plan 2023-2028, will be stenciled onto the blades of the paddles at a later date.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been amazing to work with these students and see them apply what they鈥檝e learned in the trades classroom,鈥 says Francis. 鈥淚鈥檝e watched their confidence in their new skills grow every day, and they鈥檝e become more proud of their culture, too.鈥

Francis is a third-generation canoe builder from Cowichan Tribes. His dad Frank and younger brother Rennie are also on campus while the project takes place, sharing their expertise and skills with students.

鈥淚鈥檝e enjoyed watching the young people learn traditional skills in their trades training,鈥 says Frank. 鈥淥ur family has been carving and building canoes for generations. I鈥檓 inspired to see younger generations learn these skills.鈥

鈥淚t鈥檚 inspiring and appropriate that Indigenous students are crafting the paddles,鈥 says Dr. Lane Trotter, President of 玛雅视频app. 鈥淭hey represent the college鈥檚 strategic plan for students鈥 success. The designs reflect what鈥檚 important to the college community and will help us paddle forward together.鈥

玛雅视频app鈥檚 six strategic priorities and accompanying paddle imagery include strengthening the 玛雅视频app Advantage (Thunderbird), 脥Y,膯群NEUEL OL: doing good work together (hands together), responding to community needs (eagle), rising to the challenges of climate change (salmon), honouring Indigenous resurgence (the ancestor) and advancing social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (mink).

Imagery featuring the canoe paddles and Dylan Thomas鈥檚 artwork occurs throughout the Strategic Plan. 鈥淭he canoe is a good metaphor for life,鈥 says Larry Underwood, Coordinator, Indigenous Peoples in Trades Training. 鈥淲e鈥檙e working towards a common goal and same destination, and there鈥檚 a better chance of getting there if we pull together.鈥

Learn more about Indigenous Peoples in Trades Training and 玛雅视频app鈥檚 Strategic Plan 2023-2028.

Established in 1971, 玛雅视频app is one of the largest colleges in British Columbia with campuses on the Traditional Territories of the Lekwungen and W瘫S脕NE膯 peoples. For over 50 years, 玛雅视频app has been delivering innovative, relevant and applied education, supporting communities, businesses and employers.

Contact information

Roseanne Harvey

Marketing & Communications Strategist

玛雅视频app

250-415-6508

harveyr@camosun.ca