Coming home will now be easier for Fond du Lac students who seek higher education.
Transwest Air says it will fund the cost of 53 plane tickets for 26 students – and their dependents – to make trips home while they’re in school.
Fond Du Lac’s Chief Executive Officer Darryl McDonald says living so far north makes schooling a struggle
“The biggest challenge is just removing yourself, placing yourself elsewhere, your entire family. So the challenges with housing. Or even just being street-smart in the city,” he said.
And then there’s transportation. To Prince Albert alone it’s a 10 to 12 hour drive in the winter or a two to three hour flight.
McDonald says the uranium industry is a big driver on Fond du Lac First Nation. As someone who worked in the area, and then returned to post-secondary schooling McDonald said there are benefits. One of them is being a role model for others.
“We’ve got local doctors, dentists, nurses, so we need more of those role models to promote more of that type of training – not just in the mining industry. So there are teachers and whatnot, so there are other professions and professionals out there,” McDonald said.
Transwest made its announcement about the funding on Monday at its celebration of 15 years of service.
Chief Operations Officer Garrett Lawless says he too has felt that pang of homesickness, but says he knows it’s nothing compared to those from northern communities.
“I remember how hard it is when I went away for school. But it’s so much harder for them because they’re leaving so much more behind,” Lawless said.