Tyendinaga – Ontario
Friday, 6 July 2012, 12:11 AM
The First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) provides post-secondary training, in a variety of fields, to Aboriginal people across Ontario. All of FNTI’s programs are grounded in Aboriginal values and approaches to learning.
In this video, Chief Donald Maracle discusses the history of FNTI, and Tanya King-Maracle discusses some of the barriers that the school continues to face.
It was the vision of Chief Earl Hill to provide education and training within the First Nations community. His vision was realized in 1985 through collaboration between the Tyendinaga Mohawk Council, FNTI Board of Directors, Indian & Northern Affairs Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of Education & Training.
Now over 25 years old, FNTI delivers a range of programs, from Aviation to Indigenous Public Relations to Mohawk Language Immersion. Some programs focus specifically on IT, such as IT Training for Teachers and Early Childhood Educators.
FNTI also built partnerships with existing colleges and universities to provide students with recognized diplomas, and to prevent graduates from facing barriers to employment.
However, FNTI faces technological barriers in providing distance education to students. Video conferencing is an important part of program delivery for some FNTI programs. Unfortunately, the instability of the Internet network can make it difficult for students to participate.
This video was produced by Jennifer Wemigwans of Invert Media. Invert Media is a 100% Aboriginal-owned media production company, dedicated to producing media projects from indigenous perspectives. For more information, check out their website.
Find out more
Watch a video about FNTI’s creation and early history
Visit FNTI’s blog
Learn more about FNTI