The acronym TEAMS sets out the blueprint for what makes us different. The program has been successfully helping people for over a decade and has helped over 100 apprentices and journeypeople, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Albertan’s, every year. We do that by placing an emphasis on these four things:
We embrace it 100% and balance it with tradition. We push ourselves and our clients to be “tech bold.”
We are all about relationships that lead to jobs and are highly attuned to the need not just for education, skills development and employment, but also for experience.
We measure our success by the number of jobs obtained and the ripple effects employment has on individuals, families, communities and this province.
We eliminate the potential for transportation issues by going directly to our clients to provide services.
What We Do
Under the direction of Tribal Chiefs Employment and Training Services Association (TCETSA), our doors are open and our mobile services are available to anyone looking for meaningful employment.
Give us a seemingly impossible employment target and we will make it possible. Our services offer a one-stop-shop for:
- clients seeking employment and training
- industry stakeholders seeking employees
- developing opportunities for on-the-job training
- developing retention strategies for clients and employers
Our Results
We facilitate countless jobs by bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses together through an Indigenous Business Directory and networking opportunities such an annual business mixer.
Testimonials
Our People
Caddie Blood
Director of Operations
A member of Heart Lake First Nations #469, Caddie was born and raised in Lac La Biche and attended Portage College where he graduated with a diploma in Business Administration. Caddie is a proud father of six children: one son and five daughters. Having started off as an Employment Liaison Worker with NEAAI, Caddie is the driving force behind its office located in Lac La Biche. A passion Caddie possesses is the desire to help people achieve self-sufficiency which he discovered when he became an elected official at the young age of 24. Caddie was hired as the Director of Operations for TEAMS Alberta and is eternally grateful for the opportunity. Moving forward, the success of others will be his, and TEAMS, primary focus.
Beau Gadwa
Employment Liaison Worker/Trade Tutor
Beau is a member of Kehewin First Nation and obtained his Journeyman Carpenter Certificate six years ago with the support of his wife Nicole and TEAMS. Beau was proud to supervise the first Tiny Home Project in Kehewin while maintaining full-time employment. Throughout his career, he has naturally taken mentoring roles and has always enjoyed helping fellow students and co-workers. Beau is looking forward to providing support to students in their post-secondary training as well as those ready to step into the workforce.
Nicole Pahtayken
Employment Liaison Worker
Nicole is a member of the Onion Lake Cree Nation and resides in Cold Lake, Alberta. She is a mother of two and has recently acquired certification as an Accounting Technician at Portage College in Cold Lake, AB. With over two years in both public and private workforces, Nicole has experience with analytical skills, interpersonal communications and team building. Nicole has always had a passion to help people achieve their lifelong goals.
Danielle John
Employment Liaison Worker
Danielle started her career as a summer student for NEAAI in 2019 and is currently the TEAMS Employment Liaison for the Lloydminster office. A current student at the Blue Quills University, Danielle is working towards her degree in Business Management. With an education journey that’s taken her from New Mexico, USA to Victoria, B.C, she strongly believes the quote “education is our people’s new buffalo.” Her real passion is helping Indigenous people become active members in the work force and breaking down blockages in cultural awareness.
Dee Dee Cormier
Employment Liaison Worker
A member of Cold Lake First Nations who grew up in Edmonton, Dee Dee has had the opportunity to live across Canada, coast to coast. She moved back to the Cold Lake/Bonnyville area in 2014. Dee Dee studied at the NAIT Business Administration Program in Edmonton and majored in marketing in her second year. Dee Dee has been employed with NEAAI since 2017 as an Employment Liaison worker in the Bonnyville office. She is a people person who enjoys working with clients, employers, communities, and being on the front lines. She is passionate about helping clients find employment or working with clients who are in the trades. She finds it most rewarding when a client can move forward in the career of their choice.
Rick Janvier
Stakeholder Relations
Rick Janvier is a member of the Cold Lake First Nations. He is a graduate of the Business Administration Diploma Program from Lakeland College, has a Certificate in Aboriginal Employment Development from the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, a citation in Indigenous Community Engagement (ICE) citation from the University of Alberta and will be obtaining a certificate in Indigenous Community-Industry Relations (ICIR) from the University of Alberta and Yellowhead Tribal College (YTC) in June 2021.
Mr. Janvier started his career as an Employment and Training Counsellor with Tribal Chiefs Ventures in 1989. In the last 27 years, he has held numerous Human Resources, Employment and Training related positions with the Public Sector and Businesses in the Oil & Gas Industry. Mr. Janvier strategically seeks opportunities for Indigenous people to obtain meaningful careers and become self-reliant and self-sufficient.
Mr. Janvier became employed as a Project Officer with the Northeast Alberta Apprenticeship Initiative (NEAAI) in January 2016 and currently holds the title of Stakeholders Relations for TEAMS
Get In Touch
Head Office Contact (Edmonton)
Email: admin@tcetsa.ca
TCETSA St. Paul
TEAMS Lac La Biche
Phone: (780) 520-7644
TEAMS Bonnyville
Phone: (780) 812-6672
TEAMS Lloydminster
Phone: (780) 872-3565