Dear Editor,
I am writing in regards to the Sept. 1 Juneau Empire article titled “Central Council abruptly reduces employment training, support services.”
Since I have moved back from the Lower 48, the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska has helped me a great deal, and it is sad to see the funding cut for employment services!
I wrote a letter to Tlingit and Haida in 2010, thanking them for their services. Please take the time to read it and you will see how they greatly changed my life:
My New Career
Before sharing my story with you, I would like to thank the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Southeast Regional Resource Center (SERRC), Sealaska Corporation, and Goldbelt Inc.
Like most residents of Southeast, I grew up commercial fishing. Subsequently, I worked briefly in the food service industry before embarking on a 20-year career in mining. Regrettably, I suffered injuries to my knees that prevented me from continuing my career in mining — causing me to choose a new career.
In January 2010, I was at the Learning Connection taking care of personal business when a flyer caught my eye; it was about the Adult Vocational Institute (AVI) offering a five-month course in computer and office skills. Since I enjoy working with computers and was in need of a new career, I decided to research it further. In order to enroll I had to seek the assistance of Central Council and SERRC. In January 2010, I was accepted into the AVI Computer and Office Skills program. The course was not easy, the classes were rigorous with short time frames to cover all of the information, plus homework. In May 2010, I successfully completed the course and graduated.
Upon completion of the course, SERRC staff continued to work closely with me. I secured my first job at Sealaska Corporation as an intern for about three months, and began preparing and submitting job applications during lunch breaks and after work. Shortly before my employment ended, I was interviewed by Goldbelt Inc. and was hired temporarily. I continued my job search while at Goldbelt Inc. which yielded very few interviews. Finally, in September of 2010, I was interviewed by the state of Alaska, Department of Commerce and Economic Development and on Sept. 29, 2010, I was hired and started my new career!
As stated earlier, it was not easy: studying hard, completing all my assignments on time, being determined to not take no for an answer, and continuing to apply for jobs. However, my new career did not happen just because of my determination; my new career would not have been possible without the assistance of Ozzie Sheakley, Lisa Long, Barbara Taug, Teresa Sarabia and Lorraine Jacobs of Central Council, along with Sheryl Weinberg, Kate Prussing, Wanda Whitcomb and Carolee Ryan of the Southeast Regional Resource Center, and to each of you a heartfelt thank you.
A message to all who think there’s not a chance of something new, I’m proof of it! I can make things happen even with my bad knees, I walked that extra mile.
Gunalch’eesh, Wilson H. Nicklie, Jr.
In closing, today I need their services again but they are not available. This really saddens me.
Thank you for reading my letter,
Wilson Nicklie Jr.
