Meet the people in Hay River training for a job on the water

The Marine Training Centre in Hay River, N.W.T., is less than a year old and is already attracting students from across the territory.

Several million dollars in federal money was spent to renovate, equip and staff the small school that's based at the old Northern Transportation Corporation Ltd. (NTCL) headquarters at the Hay River's shipyard.

A three-room simulator worth more than $500,000 allows students to steer tugs and cargo ships through ice and storms. This month, classes are navigating through international harbours. Next year, students will simulate sailing on Great Slave Lake, the Mackenzie River and the Beaufort Sea, with the help of a software upgrade.

"It's amazing," said Karlene Isaiah from Fort Liard, of the technology. Isaiah, 24, is the only female in the bridge watch rating course which teaches students about the bridge, which is like a dashboard, of the ship.

"I was raised by brothers so I've always been competitive. It's a little intimidating because these guys are brilliant but that makes me want to do more," she said.

Isaiah was three years into a teaching certificate when Aurora College cancelled the program in Fort Smith. Now, she is starting the long road to becoming a captain and hopes to join the Coast Guard or start a family business delivering fresh food along the Mackenzie River.

"The [territorial] government is trying to rejuvenate the the commercial fishery and the marine jobs are coming back," explained Randy Pittman, a ship's captain and the program's co-ordinator, who was once in charge of commercial tankers, cargo ships and fishing vessels in Newfoundland.

"Our goal is to try and help people take advantage of these positions which are good-paying jobs."

All classes at the training centre have been approved by Transport Canada and are free of charge. The only admission requirement is northern residency, although some age restrictions apply. The students range in age from 16 to 67 with a variety of educational backgrounds.

"There is zero tuition. Books are free. If we bring people in accommodations are free. Food, too," he said. "Plus they get a training allowance. It is 100 percent covered. So [there are] zero barriers to taking the training."

The programs in Hay River are modelled after a similar school in Nunavut that's been running since 2005: the Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Consortium.

The money to pay for the programs in Hay River comes from Transport Canada's $1.5-billion Oceans Protection Plan, announced earlier this spring.

There's enough money promised to run the marine transportation centre for three years, and negotiations for more are already happening, Pittman explained.

Student body

About 100 students, some from as far as Aklavik and Tsiigehtchic, N.W.T., have earned certificates since May.

Classes run from one day to several months.The most popular is the two-week Small Vessel Operator course which focuses on entry level chartwork, marine terminology and avoiding collisions.

Kelly Yew and his son Tristen Ross are enrolled in an advanced program that will help them get their captain's papers.

Yew has spent most of his life working as a commercial fisherman on Great Slave Lake. Now he wants his Transport Canada papers so the father and son can operate their own fishing boat out of Hay River.

Yew is 61 andRoss is 16. The age gap is benefit, they say.

"Oh, it's very interesting, I can copy off him," Yew joked. "But, no, we learn from each other. With exams coming up right now we are doing a lot of studying, a lot of quizzes and it can be hard but eventually it's clicking into place."

The Marine Training Centre is running two courses in Yellowknife this month, andinstructors have travelled the K'atl'odeeche First Nation Reserve, Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik.

Trips to Fort Providence, Fort Resolution and Aklavik are scheduled for the new year.

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