Search the LinkedIn profiles of politicians, mine management, and senior government bureaucrats born and raised in the NWT, and you’ll find many of them have something in common—at one point in their careers, they graduated from the Northern Leadership Development Program (NLDP), or its predecessor.
One of Aurora College’s most popular programs, NLDP began as the Aboriginal Leadership Development Program. The Diavik-led initiative was delivered in partnership with the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary, with participation from Aurora College in the NWT.
Designed to help increase the number of qualified Indigenous employees in supervisor and management roles at Diavik, mine officials helped form NLDP with curriculum based on Rio Tinto’s leadership competencies.
In 2005, Diavik offered the inaugural seven-module course, with 160 hours of leadership training, to its employees and contractors, matching up participants with a manager employed at the mine for mentorship.
The mentor’s role was to provide ongoing support and assist the participant in applying the theory discussed in the classroom to actual practice in the workplace.
From 2005 to 2010, 59 individuals graduated from the program. These leaders have moved on in a variety of roles: a mine maintenance superintendent, a Red Seal journeyperson, and directors, managers and elected officials with businesses and governments across the territory.
In 2011, Aurora College took over the program and expanded it to include participation from other northern mines and businesses. Since that time, 186 more participants have graduated from the program and 28 more are currently enrolled.
NLPD is offered through a blended model, with some modules occurring online and others delivered face-to-face. The mentorship component remains an important part of the program.
Throughout the nine modules of the program, participants learn to grow and develop their skills, such as how to communicate effectively, motivate and inspire others, manage conflict and make strategic decisions.
Changes to the program also reflect comments and feedback from participants, mentors and employers over the years.
Today, nearly 20 years after it was first developed, the program is bigger than ever. For the 2023-24 school year a second level is being piloted with a specific focus on leadership in action.
“Graduates continue to tell us [about] the profound positive influence this program has in every aspect of their lives—in their workplaces, communities, and in their families,” says Karen Horn, Continuing Education Coordinator with Aurora College.
“This impact creates a ripple effect across the North. We feel fortunate to be a part of that.”
As Diavik begins work on its mine closure plan, the acclaimed leadership program it initiated two decades ago is poised to continue developing future northern leaders long after the mine’s operations end.