b'RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE NESTI know, with even just the year I spent with Indspire, how much more opportunity it gave me. Just to be able to highlight that on my resume, and those skills that I gained, was a huge opportunity for me Whitney Wolfe opportunities and whether thereand, along with improving generalKnowledge Nest proved beneficial. was a relationship between PRWEresearch competencies, theirAs Thomas puts it, The Research and annual income. Im prettywork experience at Indspire alsoNest very much encouraged proud of all the things that Iveamplified their resumes and fine- networking for those connections to learned, all the knowledge andtuned their career goals. As Wiebebe made. Its been great to see what experience Ive gained, and the skillsremarks, It made me really want towork has been done out there and I have now that I wouldnt have hadpursue data analysis even further.making connections with different otherwise, says Wolfe.Thats something that I want toorganizations, and different people beI want to be a data analyst andthat share a similar interest, and SOLIDIFYING GOALS without this position I dont think Itrying to learn from them. Over the past six months the teamwould have come to that realization. has been working full steam aheadNow that I know that, I have a lot ofThomas has now accepted a posi-on Indspires Following the Paththe foundational skills to begin totion as a post-graduate associate report, which examines Indigenousreally pursue a position like that.at Yale University, where he will post-secondary students experi- be working with an economics ences of Truth and ReconciliationWiebe has already received anprofessor on different research and the implementation of the TRCsemail offer for a job with Indigenousprojects. Their research agenda Calls to Action during the COVID-19Services Canada and has a writtenis specifically on racial inequali-pandemic. This involved creating aoffer to start in July. Its definitelyties and marginalized populations survey, analyzing the results, andsolidified my intention of workingin the political economy of public coming up with a cohesive planwith Indigeneity and Indigenouseconomic space, says Thomas. Its among the research assistantstopics, and thats what I want to putvery relevant to what my research on how to write the report andmy focus on in my career. I want tointerests would be. determine what data to include.be able to work towards benefiting The Following the Path survey wasIndigenous communities andWhile Wolfe had originally hoped conducted between December 2020working with Indigenous people forto begin a graduate program in the and January 2021 and received aIndigenous people, she says.fall, with the pandemic still raging, total of 3,195 responses. and not wanting to miss out on the Making connections in the field ofcampus experience, she has decided Contracts for all the researchIndigenous research is not alwaysto continue working for the time assistants were completed in April,easy, and here too the Researchbeing. Indspire helped her find a position within the government, thereby aiding her transition from a research-based role to one based on policy. Ive grown so much, and Ive Indigenous students are an important part oflearned so much, says Wolfe. And I Southeast College and its programs.know, with even just the year I spent From Adult Basic Education to full and part time postwith Indspire, how much more secondary programs, Indigenous students make upopportunity it gave me. Just to be about 14% of the student body at Southeast College.able to highlight that on my resume, Student Advisors are strategically spread throughoutand those skills that I gained, was the region to ensure timely and efficient access toa huge opportunity for me and Im information and support. just so proud that I made it through Learn more at www.southeastcollege.org until the end.70indspiration2021'