The Lower Sioux Community in Southwest Minnesota operates the Hemp Program and Housing Project, which is aimed at creating lasting, affordable homes with building products that have a lower environmental impact that many other building products while creating jobs and offering career training opportunities.
People with a variety of construction and other skills are needed as part of the Hemp Program and Housing Project, including electricians. Electricians are needed both for the creation of hemp panels and blocks in the production facility on the reservation as well as for building homes using the hemp components in the future.
The Electrician Cankuya Program is led by the Lower Sioux Indian Community in partnership with Leading CareerForce Partner Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council and Minnesota West Community & Technical College. Cankuya means path or to utilize something as a road or a pathway in the Dakota language. Program participants who successfully complete the course earn a 10-credit Electrician Certificate approved by Minnesota Office of Higher Education.
The Electrician Cankuya training program was offered on-site in the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Morton for four and half months, two and half days a week. Training program participants were offered Joint case management and strong wraparound support.
Six program graduates are Native American, of those participants two are Lower Sioux Indian Community citizens. Four program graduates are currently employed. Another program participant is currently looking for work. One participant moved out of the area.
The first program, Carpentry Cankuya, was offered in 2021 with two of the participants in that program currently working with Hemp Project.
The Lower Sioux Indian Community plans to partner with SWMNPIC and Minnesota West Community & Technical College on a mechatronics training program this fall.
- Find out more about the Lower Sioux Community Hemp Program and Housing Project
- Learn about all the programs and services offered by Leading CareerForce Partner Southwest Minnesota PIC
- Contact staff at a CareerForce location near you for information about training programs in your part of Minnesota
