Roundtable Discussion: Indigenous Workforce Development – Driving Indigenous Employment, Inclusion, Retention & Career Advancement in the Energy Sector

At the 2025 Spark Indigenous Energy Summit, CRIN proudly supported the Roundtable Discussion on Indigenous Workforce Development, a powerful dialogue that explored how Indigenous-led strategies are driving employment, inclusion, retention, and career advancement in Canada’s energy sector.

Moderated by Alita Marowchuk, Lead, Indigenous Group & Reconciliation Activator at AECOM, the session featured four inspiring leaders who brought wisdom, lived experience, and tangible examples of change in action:

• Deborah Green, kàkikè manitohkân iskwêwak (Forever Spirit Woman) – Director of Access and Belonging, Indigenous Relations, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

• Sheryl Rivers – Indigenous Workforce Development Manager, Woodfibre LNG

• Mark Shilliday – Senior Advisor, Indigenous Recruitment, Enbridge

• Clifton Cross – Council Member, Frog Lake First Nation

Together, they shared what it truly means to build workforce strategies that reflect Indigenous worldviews—where success is measured through relationships, belonging, and reciprocity as much as through metrics and milestones.

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the principle of working with, not for, Indigenous Peoples. True progress, the panelists agreed, means co-creating policies, programs, and partnerships that honour community voice, traditional knowledge, and self-determination.

Speakers shared examples of what this looks like in practice: Woodfibre LNG’s cultural and gender-safety training for over 5,000 workers; Enbridge’s Indigenous Employee Resource Group fostering belonging and retention; and Frog Lake First Nation’s renewable-energy initiatives that combine seven-generation planning with youth mentorship and community-owned prosperity.

Each story demonstrated how cultural safety, representation, and shared leadership strengthen not only Indigenous inclusion, but the entire energy ecosystem.

CRIN was honoured to support this important conversation as part of the Spark Indigenous Energy Summit. It aligns with our mission to accelerate cleantech innovation and collaboration across Canada’s energy sector—building pathways where Indigenous knowledge, innovation, and leadership are integral to a sustainable and inclusive energy future.

When industry, Indigenous communities, and innovators walk together in a good way, we build more than a workforce: we build trust, opportunity, and a stronger Canada for generations to come.