Three women in the Northwest Territories (NWT) have recently completed an 11-day paid work placement at the Gahcho Kué Mine as part of the Building Forever: Women’s Pre-Trades. This initiative, a collaboration between De Beers’ Gahcho Kué Mine, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the Native Women’s Association of the Northwest Territories, aims to encourage and prepare women for careers in the trades industry.
The Women’s Pre-Trades Program breaks through traditional industry norms, where participants can learn about various trades from professionals. This knowledge helps them identify which trade they might be interested in pursuing as a future career.
Participants Raeleen Mantla, Justina Moosenose, and Teresa Weyallon Zoe each shared their inspiring experiences from their time at the mine in July.
Raeleen, from Behchokǫ̀, found her childhood interest in trades reignited during her time in the mine’s vehicle shop. “Before this, I didn’t think I’d find something I’d be interested in. But getting hands-on experience here was an eye-opener. It showed me so many great opportunities. It was like I had an epiphany – I finally knew what I wanted to do for a career.” Said Mantla.
Justina, of Gamètì, found the program reinforced her desire to expand her trade skills. And Teresa, also from Behchokǫ̀, had her high school interest in welding rekindled, further solidifying her career path. Lyndon Clark, General Manager of Gahcho Kué mine, underscores their dedication to a diverse and inclusive workspace, saying, “Building Forever is more than a program; it’s our pledge to create enduring, positive impact.”
The Women’s Pre-Trades Program is a part of De Beers’ Building Forever strategy, under the, Accelerating Equal Opportunities- pillar. The strategy also encompasses, Leading Ethical Practices, Protecting the Natural World, and Partnering for Thriving Communities.
For more information about Building Forever, visit www.debeersgroup.com/buildingforever. The pre-trades program was launched in early 2022 as a joint initiative between Gahcho Kué, the Government of the NWT and Native Women’s Association of the NWT.
Gahcho Kué mine is a joint venture between De Beers Group (51% – the operator) and Mountain Province Diamonds (49%). The mine is located about 280 km northeast of Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
De Beers has approximately 650 employees in Canada. In addition to Gahcho Kué, the company is actively closing Snap Lake mine in the NWT and Victor mine in Northern Ontario, has an active exploration team searching for new diamond deposits in Canada and is advancing the Chidliak Project to establish a technologically advanced diamond mine on Baffin Island using FutureSmart Mining principles.
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