Viewpoints – Winter 2008 – Volume 28 – NO 1

As a grade 10 student at Pemberton Secondary, Evan Hertzog was interested in business but didn’t have a clear idea what that meant.
Though he wanted to be his own boss and had taken courses in tourism, like most high school students, Evan didn’t know much about the field.
But after a teacher told him about the first-ever Ch’nook Aboriginal Business summer camp at UBC’s First Nations House of Learning in August 2004, he decided to see what was involved.

“I definitely liked that the program was focused on business,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I’ve always been interested in business, but I have since senior high school. I won’t lie to you—money was one of the factors!”
During that week, he learned the basics of starting a business. Now, after working in the tourism industry as a bartender and taking courses in outdoor activity leadership, Evan is studying towards a business diploma in Tourism Management and Business Administration at Thompson Rivers University. He said his experience at UBC helped set him on this path.

Program Manager Corry Archibald explained that Ch’nook Traders (named after the traditional language of trade used by BC’s First Nations communities) was started to introduce Aboriginal high school students to business careers. In the first session, a dozen grade 11 and 12 students from Hazelton to Pemberton learned about university life and the linkage between Aboriginal values and business studies.

The purpose of Ch’nook is to provide business education opportunities to Aboriginal participants. “Our goal is to increase the level of participation with Aboriginal learners in business education,” she said. “Some Aboriginal high school students have an idea that the field of business is not for them. We show them that’s not the case.”

After the camp, students stayed in touch through Sunday evening conference calls coached by Archibald. They exchanged business ideas that developed into the Ch’nook Traders, a business that sells thank-you cards and chocolates decorated with a salmon design by artist Ross Hunt to clients such as BC Hydro, Vancity, VANOC, and Terasen Gas. Some of the proceeds go towards the BC Elders Conference.

“The program helps students realize that business education is an option for them,” said Archibald. “During the phone calls, we looked at market opportunities, compared research, decided on a product and pulled the business together.”

Ch’nook Aboriginal Business Education at UBC has since expanded to include the Ch’nook Scholars Program, which offers financial, academic and career support to Aboriginal students engaged in full-time diploma or degree business programs in B.C.

The Ch’nook initiative has received support from BC’s Aboriginal leaders, including the First Nations Summit, Union of BC Indian Chiefs and Assembly of First Nations. “There’s so much economic development within aboriginal communities in B.C., and we need to build more management capacity so our people become involved,” said Archibald. “I believe that through this process, Aboriginal communities will become self sufficient.”