14. Indigenous Inclusion in Employment
Robline Davey
Introduction
Depending on your context, you may discover that you are already familiar with the information in this chapter. For some, it may be brand new. Whether you are an international student in Canada, a domestic student, or an Indigenous student, it is important to educate or remind us of the difficult history experienced by Indigenous peoples in Canada because it has led to the current employment context today. This chapter aims to describe the Canadian employment context as it relates to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC, 2015a) Calls to Action (CTA), specifically #92 which can be summarized by calling for reconciliation in the workplace, including improved intercultural skills for employees and administration. [Introduction is the same as Chapter 15]
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapters, you should be able to:
- Complete a holistic self-assessment to inventory your unique characteristics that will benefit an employer, using a strengths-based approach to job searching and career planning. (Indigenous)
- Translate skills and competencies that have been developed within Indigenous community-based roles into skills recognized by the employment sector. (Indigenous)
- Identify and describe how your social location might influence your employment options in Canada. (Indigenous)
- Evaluate and critique an organization’s equity and inclusion policies to understand if an organization is a right fit for you. (Indigenous)
- Create a plan including resources to advocate for yourself in an employment or volunteer context. (Indigenous)
Economic Stability
Social Determinants of Health
Variations among population groups are referred to as the “social gradient,” which is the concept that a disparity exists between health outcomes depending on income levels. As a historically disadvantaged group, Indigenous Peoples have experienced lower rates of education and skills. Compared to the rest of Canadians, Indigenous peoples have experienced significant labour market disadvantages due to the historical and current oppressive laws and policies of the Canadian government.
Because of the importance of economic stability, employment is key to self-development and long-term quality of life across the lifespan. Economic stability—including income and income distribution, unemployment and job security, and employment and working conditions—is a major social determinant of health (SDH) (Commission on Social Determinants of Health, 2008; Mikkonen & Raphael, 2010). As such, securing and sustaining employment is important to numerous social and economic goals.
Economic well-being does not exclusively hinge on having a job; aligning your values and goals is an important exercise in ensuring you are engaging in meaningful work that gives you purpose, quality of life, and access to other SDHs. Employment is clearly important, particularly in the Canadian labour market, which is characterized by a pool of low-wage, precarious employment (Jackson, 2005).
Indigenous Perspectives
Holistic Assessment
Ensure that you assess a potential employer and make informed decisions in your employment search. Indigenous Peoples across Canada share similar values, despite the richness and differences in cultures. The four dimensions (spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional) are aspects of every person’s nature, and they can be used to frame all aspects of our lives. Indigenous Peoples believe that wholeness and balance are important and result when a person has all four of these dimensions in balance. Imbalances in any area result in disharmony.
Different groups interpret the circle differently, but in summary: each of the four directions or dimensions (east, south, west, and north) typically represents an organizing framework and a worldview summarized by balance. The circle can be used to align and frame all aspects of life. Employment decisions are no different than any other decisions. Efforts and energy should be taken to align your values with an organization.
Figure 14.1 is just one of the circle diagrams representing part of a much more involved Indigenous values-based career decision-making process designed by Rod McCormick, Norm Amundsen, and Gray Poehnell (2002) in their workbook and workshops, Guiding Circles: An Aboriginal Guide to Finding Career Paths. “Guiding Circles Step 1 Workbook: Understanding Yourself” (McCormick et al., 2002) can now be found at IndigenousWorks (previously known as the Aboriginal Human Resources Council). These resources were developed in response to the 1996 Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) to improve Indigenous inclusion in employment.
For our purposes, this circle can support you in identifying and evaluating your activities within various aspects of your life, including your academics, career, volunteer work, and personal life. Follow Exercise 14.1, or a combination of both using the circle with four dimensions as a framework [sentence needs rewording for clarity]. You can re-draw the circle on a blank sheet of paper, and re-use it anytime you need to guide your process.
This is a good time to perform a general self-assessment if you have not done so already. You might have already read the Self-Assessment chapter in this textbook and performed the self-assessment. Go back and do a self-inventory again using the Holland Code (RIASEC) Test from the Open-Source Psychometric Project (2019). After doing this self-assessment, compare your results and place them into the four dimensions in the circle to ensure that your decisions will result in the balance you are seeking. You can do this to determine if an employer’s values align with your own interests, goals, and values.
Exercise 14.1
Using the Four Dimensions to Guide Your Career & Job Search
Use Figure 14.1 to assess your career goals and determine if a workplace is a good fit.
- Write aspects of the potential position you are considering and place them in the quadrants that they align with. Jot what you know down. Do some research on the company’s website, ask peers or colleagues about a potential organization, or record what you have discovered from a job interview. Here are some questions to consider:
- Are the company’s values evident?
- What is the company’s culture?
- What is important to the company?
- Is there a company mandate?
- Does the website describe their equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) policy, training, or priorities?
- Is family important to the organization?
- Write about your values. By now, you will have listed those and done some reflection on what is important to you. Jot these down in the various areas in the circle that match, and list the characteristics you are aware of in the organization or career you are considering. Is one part of the circle too heavy with content?
This exercise is exploratory, so take some time and fill this out for each employer. You may not be able to figure this out until you are in your first work term, but that is what co-op is for: to determine from experience what you want to do.
Family Responsibilities
Indigenous individuals commit more hours per week to household and caring tasks than non-Indigenous Canadians. For example, in 2001, 25% of working-age Indigenous respondents spent more than 30 hours per week involved in housework, compared to 16% of non-Indigenous respondents (Ciceri & Scott, 2006). The percentage of Indigenous women working more than 30 hours a week on household tasks was higher than the percentage of Indigenous men (33% compared to 16%) (Ciceri & Scott, 2006). Even so, Indigenous men were twice as likely as non-Indigenous men to be in this group.
Similarly, Indigenous people were almost twice as likely as non-Indigenous people to report that they spent more than 30 hours per week caring for children (28% compared to 16%). Again, this was true for both Indigenous men and women. By contrast, over half of the non-Indigenous working-age population (53%) reported that they did not spend any time caring for children, compared to 43% of the Indigenous population. This may be linked to the higher birth rate, as noted in Current State of Employment for Indigenous Canadians [link?], as well as the higher proportion of lone-parent families within the Indigenous community. Additionally, working-age adults in the Indigenous community are more likely to provide more than 10 hours per week of care to an Elder (Ciceri & Scott, 2006).
But what do all these statistics mean, and how are they related to employment? Basically, family responsibilities fall largely upon Indigenous women, which is a disadvantage in terms of employment opportunities. Reliable and safe childcare, along with a position that earns a sufficient income to also pay for childcare, are integral to enabling Indigenous women to work. This may be a good point to discuss the ways in which identities are intersectional and how that intersectionality impacts our earning potential.
Social Location & Intersectionality
Privilege offers an easier path through the world, which is not often recognized by those who possess the most privilege. Social location can be defined as the combination of factors that impact our experiences within society, including gender, race, social class, age, ability, religion, sexual orientation, and geographic location. This results in a social location that is very individual to each of us (NCFR, 2019 [missing reference list entry]).
To learn more and identify your own social location, explore the Cultural Diversity & Workplace Barriers chapter. 4. Social Location & Intersectionality contains a description of social location and how several intersecting identities, such as gender, income status, partner status, family origin, religion, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, impact us differently. Have a look at Figure 11.8 in the Experience More Access chapter for an illustration of how intersecting identities can impact us differently. Go back to the 35 questions in Exercise 12.1 in Cultural Diversity & Workplace Barriers. This activity is relevant to those who identify as Indigenous, female, or any number of identities that locate us outside the dominant group, which is mainly comprised of individuals who are White and male. Also, watch the video, What Is Privilege? (As/Is, 2015), to get a sense of how the identity exercise plays out in person. [This section (including video and exercise below) is almost identical to the one in 4. Social Location & Intersectionality in the Cultural Diversity & Workplace Barriers chapter]
What Is Privilege? [3:59 min] by As/Is (2015)
Exercise 14.2
Identify Your Social Location
- Take the quiz called What is Privilege? in Exercise 12.1 in the Cultural Diversity and Workplace Barriers chapter, and watch the What Is Privilege? (As/Is, 2015) video above to put your results into context. These questions will help you better understand your social location by illustrating your areas of advantage (i.e., your privilege) and disadvantage in society.
- Now, reflect on what you learned about your identity with these questions:
- Were you surprised?
- Does your understanding of your social location change anything?
- How does your identity relate to the Canadian employment context?
- Does this change your views of employment equity?
- How does this new knowledge support you to navigate the job search process?
Cultural Humility
Self-promotion is not a common characteristic among Indigenous cultures (Deloitte, 2012) or various other cultural backgrounds. Yet describing oneself in what may seem like boastful ways is normalized in North America. It can be uncomfortable for some people to describe themselves and list their qualities in the way that job-seekers are counselled, and you may need to teach yourself the skill.Indigenous employees may grapple with different cultural definitions of success and the cultural bias toward humility instead of “selling yourself” (Deloitte, 2012). Presenting yourself in resumes and cover letters can feel uncomfortable at first. Learning new cultural skills is challenging, but it can be helpful in terms of finding meaningful employment. Consider how members of your family, community members, and relations would talk about you, and challenge yourself to learn to market your unique and valuable characteristics by putting your best foot forward in a way that employers recognize. You can refer to the strengths finder in the Self-Assessment chapter if you want to go through a reflective exercise to brainstorm your strengths.
Exercise 14.3
Describe Your Strengths Through a Family Member’s Eyes
Brainstorm! List your skills and competencies. Do not edit the list while you write. You can always edit later, but for now, jot down all the strengths and skills that you recognize, or that a family member would say about you.
Use paper and a pen or open a Word document and type it out. Practice bragging!
Application Process
Employer Assessment
In response to TRC’s (2015a) Calls to Action, which includes mandates to diversify the Canadian workforce, many employers are seeking Indigenous applicants, and a number of organizations have developed specific Indigenous recruitment strategies. These provide opportunities for Indigenous students starting out after graduation and can also be great first work terms.
It is important to evaluate these Indigenous recruitment opportunities for yourself. One way to do this is to identify the equity policies at these organizations. Look for an employer that:
- Creates an empowering workplace
- Displays evidence of accountability
- Demonstrates a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion
An exemplary organization that values EDI (equity, diversity, and inclusion) and seeks to diversify and celebrate the diversity of their employees will have an EDI policy, mandate, or commitment on their website. Committed organizations may also have mentorship groups for Indigenous employees, which can support and increase a sense of belonging for Indigenous employees, which is important for employee retention (Morris, 2017).
Researching an employer’s equity and inclusion policy to evaluate whether the employer feels like a good fit can support your decision-making process. Indigenous employees, and all employees, feel more psychologically safe in a workplace that values diversity and welcomes and fosters employee skills and talents (cite, date [missing in-text citation]). As part of your research process, locate an exemplary EDI policy or commitment to diversity, either through an employer’s website or your networks. Describe the values that are stated within the policy and how those motivate you to work for the organization. Evidence of this is when managers put these policies into practice by developing teams in which Indigenous employees are heard, recognized, valued, and challenged with meaningful work (Catalyst, n.d. [is this Thorpe-Moscon & Ohm (2021)?]).
There are many mentorship and leadership development opportunities with organizations and companies that have already implemented these practices. As mentioned before, mentorship and opportunities to build connections with other Indigenous people in the organization are important supports to look for in a potential workplace (Deloitte, n.d. [missing reference list entry for this date]). Explore those organizations that interest you in your sector and ensure that you are highlighting your Indigenous identity to be considered for these positions.
Indigenous Recruitment in Organizations Example
Exercise 14.4
Assessing an Organization’s EDI Policy
Research a few employers you would like to work for to assess their EDI commitment.
- Go to the employer’s website, and locate their EDI policy, diversity mandate, or statement of inclusion.
- Summarize the policies that you find, and reflect upon how the policy creates more safety and space for Indigenous employees.
- Take note of any Indigenous recruitment programs or supports. You may find this information on the internet, or you may also have heard about an organization’s reputation in this area through your networks.
- Describe any details you discover that encourage you to feel that your Indigeneity will be supported.
Self-Identification
Ensure that you find a way to self-identify in your application package, even if the position you are seeking is not described as a specifically Indigenous position. Resulting from TRC’s Calls to Action, many organizations have developed diversity and inclusion policies. What this means is that there are more Indigenous recruitment programs, and organizations are striving to diversify their workforce. To self-identify, ensure that you use one of the paragraphs in your cover letter to introduce yourself, including the Nation and/or community that you belong to. An additional method to reference your identity is to include any competencies and skills you have developed through volunteering, paid work, or cultural roles you have performed in your community. For example, by naming the community in which you have planned events or supported Elders, it will be evident to those reading your application that you belong to an Indigenous community.
To ensure that you are considered Indigenous, using the introduction method is more direct. Knowing that diversity initiatives potentially increase the opportunities for Indigenous and BIPOC job-seekers, for many reasons, you may not want to identify yourself. Make the decision that works best for you, in your circumstances, and take the advice in this section to enable your employment search to work for you.
Cover Letter Self-Identification Examples
Example 1: “As a T’exelcemc person, I have extensive knowledge of the land.”
Example 2: “Because of my role as an event organizer in my community of Frog Lake, Alberta, I have developed a number of project management skills…”
Exercise 14.5
Create a List of Indigenous Recruitment Programs
- Create a list of Indigenous recruitment programs that include explicit support for Indigenous employees.
- Describe how this support would influence your decision to apply to these organizations.
Example: The Royal Bank of Canada (n.d.) has a number of initiatives to support Indigenous graduates, including co-op opportunities, post-graduate internships, and a mentorship program called Royal Eagles, comprised of Indigenous employees.
Transferable Skills
Do not forget to outline and detail the skills and competencies you have developed as a result of your roles in your community. Various roles such as acting as an Elder helper, having extensive knowledge of the land, medicines, or cultural knowledge, and organizing cultural and community events have been instrumental in developing certain skill sets. Ensure that you are connecting these valuable skills and responsibilities into skills that an employer recognizes. This is especially important if you are applying for a position with an employer who is seeking an Indigenous applicant or for an opportunity in a community or Indigenous organization. These competencies should be highlighted and front and centre for an Indigenous organization. This allows you to explicitly tie the traditional skills to your identity as an Indigenous person and highlight this for an employer.
Cultural Skill Examples
- Community involvement = Extensive network, relational skills
- Community event planning = Project management and networking skills
- Youth/Wellness programs = Team player and/or teacher/coach
- Elder helper = Emotional intelligence/wisdom
Exercise 14.6
List your Cultural Skills and Competencies
- Identify and write down a list of cultural skills and competencies from the various community-based roles or jobs that you have held. Think about how those skills are transferable to an organization you are considering.
- In one column, include cultural skills and competencies.
- In the second column, transfer those skills into competencies in ways that the organization will value.
Employment Trends
You can learn more about various careers from an Indigenous perspective. The Career Journeys for First Nations Role Model Program (FNESC and FNSA, n.d.) was created primarily for secondary students by the First Nations Schools Association (FNSA) and First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC). However, no matter where you are in your journey, these videos are still great resources. They include interviews with professionals in various careers, discussing many factors that contributed to their success like family support, educational requirements, and how their choice of profession has enriched their lives (FNESC and FNSA, n.d.).
Watch the following collection of videos (FNESC and FNSA, n.d.) and meet the Career Journey Role Models in An Introduction to the Career Journeys Role Models Series, by FNESC and FNSA (2015) on Vimeo.
An Introduction to the Career Journeys Role Models Series, by FNESC and FNSA [64 videos, 2–4 min each] by FNESC and FNSA (2015)
Conclusion
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada has identified Indigenous youth between the ages of 15 and 34 as the fastest-growing population segment in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2018). That means that our organizations are going to require your perspective and skill set in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Attracting Indigenous talent is a necessity; Catalyst described it as an imperative—not just a diversity exercise (Thorpe-Moscon & Ohm, 2021). Remember your value to the workplace and that the perspective you bring is integral to growth in the sector you choose. As one participant in Deloitte’s (2012) Dialogue on Diversity stated: “There are thousands of bright young people getting ready to seize opportunities. We’re not living in the 60s or 70s anymore.”
Media Attributions
- Figure 14.1 Guiding Circles Career Decision Making [Diagram] by Rod McCormick, Norm Amunsdon, Gray Poehnell [© Aboriginal Human Resource Development Council of Canada], via Indigenous Works, is used with permission.
References
As/Is. (2015, July 4). What is privilege? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/hD5f8GuNuGQ?si=KjtqligRrwIJU1AN
Brown, T. L., Bryant, C. M., Hernandez, D. C., Holman, E. G., Mulsow, M., & Shih, K. Y. (2019, April 4). Inclusion and diversity committee report: What’s your social location? Highlights from the special session at the 2018 NCFR National Conference. National Council on Family Relations. https://www.ncfr.org/ncfr-report/spring-2019/inclusion-and-diversity-social-location
Bartlett, C., Marshall, M., & Marshall, A. (2012). Two-eyed seeing and other lessons learned within a co-learning journey of bringing together Indigenous and mainstream knowledges and ways of knowing. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2, 331–340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-012-0086-8
Brown, T. L., Bryant, C. M., Hernandez, D. C., Holman, E. G., Mulsow, M., & Shih, K. Y. (2019, April 4). Inclusion and diversity committee report: What’s your social location? Highlights from the special session at the 2018 NCFR National Conference. National Council on Family Relations. https://www.ncfr.org/ncfr-report/spring-2019/inclusion-and-diversity-social-location
Canadian Human Rights Commission. (2020). Significant employment barriers remain for Indigenous people in banking and financial sector. http://web.archive.org/web/20241110093226/https://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca/en/resources/significant-employment-barriers-remain-indigenous-people-banking-and-financial-sector
Ciceri, C., & Scott, K. (2006). The determinants of employment among Aboriginal peoples. Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi), 3, Article 132. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/aprci/132
Commission on Social Determinants of Health. (2008). Closing the gap in a generation: Health equity through action on the social determinants of health (WHO Ref No. WHO/IER/CSDH/08.1). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-IER-CSDH-08.1
Deloitte. (2012). Widening the circle: Increasing opportunities for Aboriginal people in the workplace. https://www2.deloitte.com/ca/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/widening-the-circle-for-aborginal-people.html
FNESC and FNSA. (n.d.). User profile [64 videos]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/user7569998
FNESC and FNSA (2015). An introduction to the career journeys role models series, by FNESC and FNSA [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/146848444
First Nations Education Steering Committee. (n.d.). Career journeys First Nations career role model program. Retrieved February 26, 2025, from http://www.fnesc.ca/careerjourneys-2/
Jackson, A. (2005). Work and labour in Canada: Critical issues. Canadian Scholars’ Press.
McCormick, R., Amundson, N., & Poehnell, G. (2002). Guiding circles: An Aboriginal guide to finding career paths. Booklet One: Understanding yourself. Aboriginal Human Resource Development Council of Canada.
Mikkonen, J., & Raphael, D. (2010). Social determinants of health: The Canadian facts. York University School of Health Policy and Management. http://www.thecanadianfacts.org/
Morris, M. (2017). Indigenous recruitment and retention: Ideas and best practices from a literature review of academic and organizational sources [Discussion paper]. Carleton University. http://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.15553.45927
Open-Source Psychometric Project. (2019). Holland code (RIASEC) test. https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/RIASEC/
Royal Bank of Canada. (n.d.). Indigenous Peoples. https://jobs.rbc.com/ca/en/IndigenousPeoples
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. (1996). Gathering strength (Vol. 3). Library and Archives Canada. http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=rcap&id=402&lang=eng&ecopy=rcap-492
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. (1996). Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Library and Archives Canada. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/aboriginal-heritage/royal-commission-aboriginal-peoples/Pages/final-report.aspx
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Thorpe-Moscon, J., & Ohm, J. (2021). Building inclusion for Indigenous Peoples in Canadian workplaces [PDF]. Catalyst. https://ccwestt-ccfsimt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IndigenousPeoplesCanadaReport_English_final.pdf
Thorpe-Moscon, J., Pollack, A., & Olu-Lafe, O. (2019). Empowering workplaces combat emotional tax for people of colour in Canada. Catalyst. https://www.catalyst.org/insights/2019/emotional-tax-canada
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015a). Calls to action [PDF]. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/indigenous-people/aboriginal-peoples-documents/calls_to_action_english2.pdf
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015b). Honouring the truth, reconciling for the future: Summary of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (Catalogue no. IR4-7/2015E-PDF). Government of Canada. http://publications.gc.ca/pub?id=9.800288&sl=0
Long Descriptions
Figure 14.1 Long Description: A circle can be used to assess your career goals and determine if a workplace is a good fit. The circle is divided evenly into four quadrants: Mental, Spiritual, Emotional, and Physical. The circle is made of three concentric circles, with “too little” being nearest the centre, then moving out is “just enough” and the outermost circle is “too much.” A person could write aspects of the potential position they are considering and place them in the quadrants that they align with. To further understand how to use the circle, follow Exercise 14.1.
