TransCanada’s new Aboriginal HR strategy supplies talent pipeline
In the resource development sector, Aboriginal employment is becoming a higher priority, and some companies have started to increase recruitment efforts. However, recruiters say it is difficult to find skilled Aboriginal people for certain jobs, whereas Aboriginals report that big companies are intimidating and difficult to approach.
Aboriginal Canada should be viewed as an emerging talent pool and it makes good business sense to prepare them now to help meet future labour demands. At Calgary-headquartered TransCanada, a pipeline and power company, Aboriginal employment has become an important part of the long-term HR planning. The corporation recently initiated plans for a new approach to Aboriginal human resources.
While the company has pursued positive Aboriginal relations, including employment for more than 30 years, the environment has changed for the company and the community, prompting a review of practices. With pipeline and power facilities now within 50 km of more than 150 Aboriginal communities, Trans-Canada realizes a significant business advantage by nurturing long-term relationships with its “First neighbours.”
In 2001, a Corporate Aboriginal Relations Policy was adopted, which outlines commitments to employment, business opportunities and educational support through scholarships and work experience. About $100,000 in scholarships is made available each year to full-time students of Aboriginal ancestry.
Aboriginal policies are no longer perceived as the exclusive responsibility of the Aboriginal relations department, a specialized group of 11 people within the larger community safety and environment department. Instead, responsibility is shared among business units including operations, HR and procurement.
As a first step to ensuring success and consistent application of policy, Aboriginal relations liasons were deployed into each of TransCanada’s operating regions. The liaisons are full-time employees who divide their time between Aboriginal and general community relations. When working on Aboriginal relationship building, they act as facilitators for the company and the community to identify impacts and find mutual benefits for all parties, including employment opportunities. Time spent on Aboriginal issues varies with changes in the business in each region.
Later, specific strategies and tactics were developed to enhance existing practices. These strategies are not restricted to scholarships, donations or consultation. TransCanada recently loaned the Aboriginal Pipeline Group $80 million to help it establish an equity position in the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline.
TransCanada assists in skill and knowledge transference through training and secondment opportunities. Aboriginals are seconded to TransCanada and some TransCanada employees are seconded to Aboriginal organizations to foster cross-organizational understanding and expertise.
The next step was to explore increasing Aboriginal participation in TransCanada’s business, with the development of an Aboriginal Contracting Strategy, and most recently a revised Aboriginal Human Resource Strategy. The company is interested in attracting more qualified Aboriginal people in areas such as northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories, where there is a higher Aboriginal population and the company wants to maintain positive relationships.
The strategy includes efforts to increase Aboriginal employment through revised recruitment practices and increased job-shadowing opportunities.
For potential Aboriginal employees, the company must be viewed as respectful of diversity. To this end, several hundred TransCanada employees have taken Aboriginal awareness training to raise understanding of the benefits of working with Aboriginal communities and to create an environment that is supportive of Aboriginals.
The company is also working to identify skill requirements, and to start working with communities to prepare potential candidates. The existing scholarship program will be one tool used to help this process.
The strategy will be successful if the employee population reflects the demographics of the areas where the company operates, and Aboriginals are visible at all levels of the company.
Another measure of success will be if company surveys demonstrate Aboriginal employees feel they are valued and that cultural differences are respected and appreciated. TransCanada’s policy is a living document that will adapt to meet changing business and community needs.
Hope Henderson is a senior HR consultant, Aboriginal Human Resource Strategy, with TransCanada. For more information visit www.transcanada.com/social/connections_aboriginal.html.
Aboriginal Canada should be viewed as an emerging talent pool and it makes good business sense to prepare them now to help meet future labour demands. At Calgary-headquartered TransCanada, a pipeline and power company, Aboriginal employment has become an important part of the long-term HR planning. The corporation recently initiated plans for a new approach to Aboriginal human resources.
While the company has pursued positive Aboriginal relations, including employment for more than 30 years, the environment has changed for the company and the community, prompting a review of practices. With pipeline and power facilities now within 50 km of more than 150 Aboriginal communities, Trans-Canada realizes a significant business advantage by nurturing long-term relationships with its “First neighbours.”
In 2001, a Corporate Aboriginal Relations Policy was adopted, which outlines commitments to employment, business opportunities and educational support through scholarships and work experience. About $100,000 in scholarships is made available each year to full-time students of Aboriginal ancestry.
Aboriginal policies are no longer perceived as the exclusive responsibility of the Aboriginal relations department, a specialized group of 11 people within the larger community safety and environment department. Instead, responsibility is shared among business units including operations, HR and procurement.
As a first step to ensuring success and consistent application of policy, Aboriginal relations liasons were deployed into each of TransCanada’s operating regions. The liaisons are full-time employees who divide their time between Aboriginal and general community relations. When working on Aboriginal relationship building, they act as facilitators for the company and the community to identify impacts and find mutual benefits for all parties, including employment opportunities. Time spent on Aboriginal issues varies with changes in the business in each region.
Later, specific strategies and tactics were developed to enhance existing practices. These strategies are not restricted to scholarships, donations or consultation. TransCanada recently loaned the Aboriginal Pipeline Group $80 million to help it establish an equity position in the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline.
TransCanada assists in skill and knowledge transference through training and secondment opportunities. Aboriginals are seconded to TransCanada and some TransCanada employees are seconded to Aboriginal organizations to foster cross-organizational understanding and expertise.
The next step was to explore increasing Aboriginal participation in TransCanada’s business, with the development of an Aboriginal Contracting Strategy, and most recently a revised Aboriginal Human Resource Strategy. The company is interested in attracting more qualified Aboriginal people in areas such as northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories, where there is a higher Aboriginal population and the company wants to maintain positive relationships.
The strategy includes efforts to increase Aboriginal employment through revised recruitment practices and increased job-shadowing opportunities.
For potential Aboriginal employees, the company must be viewed as respectful of diversity. To this end, several hundred TransCanada employees have taken Aboriginal awareness training to raise understanding of the benefits of working with Aboriginal communities and to create an environment that is supportive of Aboriginals.
The company is also working to identify skill requirements, and to start working with communities to prepare potential candidates. The existing scholarship program will be one tool used to help this process.
The strategy will be successful if the employee population reflects the demographics of the areas where the company operates, and Aboriginals are visible at all levels of the company.
Another measure of success will be if company surveys demonstrate Aboriginal employees feel they are valued and that cultural differences are respected and appreciated. TransCanada’s policy is a living document that will adapt to meet changing business and community needs.
Hope Henderson is a senior HR consultant, Aboriginal Human Resource Strategy, with TransCanada. For more information visit www.transcanada.com/social/connections_aboriginal.html.
