Bioenergy works with Chris Mazuren: MLTC Employment Services Officer

Used with Permission of Northern Pride Publications

“My job,” says Chris Mazuren, “Is to ensure the community
members within the nine Meadow Lake First Nations
have an opportunity to find employment with the
construction contractors during the building of the MLTC
Bioenergy Centre.”
“I meet the contractors to get an understanding of what
it is they’re looking for in a potential employee,” he says.
“Based on that, I send out a call for résumés. Work-ready
individuals contact me and then I make the link – I make it
happen between the two.”
Mazuren says the goal is to
attract as many résumés as possible.
”I’m interested in hearing from
labourers, skilled labour, tradespeople
or apprentices,” he adds.
The MLTC Employment and
Training Facebook page, will
have the latest job opportunities
posted.
“I go through the résumés and
shortlist them. The contractor
looks at the list I have complied for them, then it’s job
interview time,” he says.
Mazuren says he looks for applicants who have some
past experience and their safety tickets needed for the
particular job.
“For example,” Mazuren adds, “When I posted the most
recent job opportunity I was looking for individuals who
have experience in concrete construction.”
Within minutes, Mazuren had résumés emailed to him
from all nine First Nations bands.
“From the best résumés, I recommend those as potential
employees,” he adds.
Mazuren notes a good candidate has a good support
network that includes family, friends and employment
office support from their First Nation.
Because of his 28-year work history in the various fields
of the construction industry, Mazuren has become familiar
with a lot of the contractors looking for workers.
“The construction field is a small world,” he says, adding
he also personally knows a lot of them.
Mazuren explains MLTC Employment and Training is
better than a job placement agency in that his team totally
understands the industrial needs of each contractor.
What Mazuren likes about finding band members from
the nine First Nations is the chance to help MLTC community
members get their foot in the door.
Each phase of construction of the MLTC Bioenergy Centre
has different time periods. Different tradespeople are
required at different times.
“Right now it’s concrete, then, in a while, it’s about 10
months of building,” Mazuren says. “There’s four major
components in the build, and we’ll need about 20 different
contractors. All those contractors need employees
and we want to get as many of our First Nations involved.”
Mazuren reminds potential employees to keep checking
the MLTC Employment and Training Facebook page.

Article by Howie Summers, MLTC Communications Officer