Indigenous Peoples’ Access to Post- Secondary Engineering Programs - A Review of Practice Consensus

Also prevalent in the Canadian post-secondary landscape are the appeals to indigenize education and to pay heed to the calls to action made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) (The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2015; The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015a). [...] Engineers Canada maintains that the sustainability of the engineering profession includes the requirement that the membership of the provincial and territorial engineering regulators is representative of Canadian society. [...] This is particularly true in light of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s findings and recommendations, namely the need to eliminate education and employment gaps between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous peoples; the recommendations to other professional bodies requiring cultural competency and human rights training; and the value of meaningful consultation and ensuring equitable access. [...] The goals, values and ways of knowing of the engaged community should be central to the evaluation (Johnston?Goodstar, 2012). [...] It is necessary to engage with the Indigenous communities the programs hope to serve, it is important to reflect on the context the future students are likely coming from and to hire a full-time staff person dedicated to maintaining those relationships and supporting future students.