Project Beyshick was a big success for Eabametoong’s Craig Waboose.

“It actually helped a lot of First Nation community members dip their toes into a field they are really interested in,” Waboose said. “One of the other delegates said he got a job offer with Wasaya. Congrats on him.”


Waboose also received an offer to do another placement with Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation, where he did his Project Beyshick placement from Feb. 25 to March 2, once he completes his Working Words program at Matawa Learning Centre in Thunder Bay.
He first developed an interest in the legal field while studying a law course in high school and is currently planning to study law after he completes an undergraduate degree in university.
“It just clicked something in me and then I thought I really want to get into the legal field,” said Waboose. “Since my parents were social workers, I am familiar with this field and when I took that course in high school regarding law and the history with First Nations, it was like hey, maybe I can help out.”
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Terry Waboose said the nine youth who participated in Project Beyshick gained invaluable experience they can use to achieve their own personal success.
“Project Beyshick allows First Nation youth to foster a vision for personal success, while at the same time, boosting their confidence to achieve that success,” the deputy grand chief said. “The firsthand experience these young persons will get in a business environment will be invaluable in their future endeavors.”
Project Beyshick was developed by POA Educational Foundation and NAN in 2005 to nurture prosperity and financial independence among First Nations communities and individuals by encouraging and mentoring entrepreneurial efforts.
“They’re matched up with a manager or a supervisor each day and they walk them through the business,” said Pauline Cornell, coordinator of special projects and policy analyst with NAN. “A lot of (the participants) did not know exactly what some of these businesses actually do on a day-to-day operation and this is what they were finally exposed to and they were like ‘wow,’ they didn’t have no idea. They just thought, for instance, that Wasaya was just an airline company.”
Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund, Albert Drake-Financial Advisor, Thunder Bay City Hall Aboriginal Liaison Officer and TBayTel were among the companies and organizations providing placements for the participants.
The one-week career mentoring/job-shadowing program is focused on entrepreneurship among First Nation youth aged 21-35 from the NAN communities. It also serves as a way to cultivate a mutual understanding and equal relationships between First Nation and non-First Nation Canadians.
“There are a lot of positives back from the participants who enjoyed their placements,” Cornell said. “I’m excited and hoping next year is going to be even bigger and better.”