Lac Seul to offer culinary school in 2014

Lac Seul First Nation is developing a culinary school and restaurant in an old grocery store in Hudson.
“Once the culinary school is up and operational, the students will actually have that practical experience of serving to a live audience,” said Ajay Jack, coordinator of the Lac Seul Training Centre of Excellence. “There have been a lot of people within the surrounding area of Sioux Lookout and Dryden area (that have expressed an interest in the culinary program). We’d like to say that we’d intake students all the way from Kenora, Fort Frances, Thunder Bay and the northern fly-in communities.”
Lac Seul received $132,000 in FedNor funding to retrofit the old Grants grocery store over the next year to accommodate the culinary school, which is scheduled to open in early-to-mid 2014.
“The Lac Seul Training Centre of Excellence will soon be providing culinary training to meet the increasing need for qualified cooks in many industries in northern Ontario,” said Lac Seul Chief Clifford Bull during the April 10 funding announcement.
The culinary school will include the Rolling Portage Cafe restaurant, which is named after the former name of Hudson.
"I am very pleased to be joined here today with Chief Bull, the students and members of the community to announce our government's support for this exciting new training opportunity,” said Kenora MP Greg Rickford. “Through investments like this and many others, our government remains committed to partnering with First Nation communities and business' to create more opportunities to meet the growing demands for a fully trained First Nation workforce in all areas of economic development.”
The Lac Seul Training Centre of Excellence began operations in early 2012, with Goldcorp providing a $500,000 investment in 2012.
Jack said the first program offered, the 360-hour Essential Lifeskills program facilitated by Seven Generations Education Institute, was a success with seven of the 15 students graduating and the majority now employed with full-time, part-time or seasonal work.
“We are a regional training centre, so we are open to anyone,” Jack said. “Whoever you are, you are welcome to take any kind of training program here as long as you are eligible to work in Canada.”
Jack said a variety of programs are or will be available at the Lac Seul Training Centre of Excellence, including Computer Skills and Development, Housekeeping and Remote Camp Services, Cultural Awareness and Background Teachings, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Start-up, Forestry Maintenance and Development, Log Building (Residential), Mould Inspection Certification, Office Administration, Surface Diamond Driller and Trades and Pre-Apprenticeships.
“Right now we have offered an adult education program, which is through Seven Generations Education Institute,” Jack said. “They are partnered with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, in which they are able to offer the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.”
Information about the Lac Seul Traing Centre of Excellence is available online at http://lacseul.firstnation.ca/lstce/. Contact the Lac Seul Training Centre of Excellence for additional information at 807-582-0386 or e-mail lstce@lsfn.ca.