With great enthusiasm, Kukwpi7 (Chief) Sheri Sellars helped John E. Phillips and Krista Phillips break ground for a Caretaker House at Whispering Willows Campground on Friday, April 23.
The Caretaker House is being built as part of the Sawmill – ‘Let’s Build a House’ training program, supported by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training and the Cariboo Chilcotin Aboriginal Training Employment Centre. Through the 16-week program, 10 local First Nations (including John Phillips and Krista Phillips) are picking up a host of new skills including safety certificates, architectural design, project management, milling the wood for the house, equipment operation and introductions to construction trades.
“This is an exciting step for the program and it’s great to see all the skills they’ve picked up already,” says Sellars. “I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing how the program and students develop from here.”
The program is administered by Cheryl Chapman, Economic Development & Employment Coordinator, and Craig Kennedy, a Forestry and Safety Consultant hired by the Band.