In an effort to develop skills and creating business opportunities, Ilitaqsiniq partnered with the Nunavut Wellness Academy for a three-week relaxation massage and nail technician program in Rankin Inlet.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something that hasn鈥檛 ever been offered before,鈥� said Amber Irwin, project coordinator with Ilitaqsiniq. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of why we really wanted to bring this here and why we wanted to partner with the academy.鈥�

The program taught seven students the fundamentals in massage and nail technician work, providing graduates with a certificate and a networking opportunity with the academy to bolster their career path in the future.

That鈥檚 what Wendy Makpah-Tatty did when she took a similar program by Ilitaqsiniq in Iqaluit, as she then went on to take the full registered massage therapist training with the Nunavut Wellness Academy and now works for the academy. Ilitaqsiniq brought her back as an instructor in the Rankin Inlet course.

鈥淭he community just loves her,鈥� said Patience Sibanda, co-founder of the academy in Iqaluit, about Makpah-Tatty. 鈥淪he gives some of the best massages.鈥�

Sibanda and her husband were busy teaching participants for their three weeks in the Kivalliq capital. When she originally moved to Iqaluit to open a spa, Sibanda said she had a desire to train and hire people from within Nunavut rather than having to look south for staff. That鈥檚 where the connection with Ilitaqsiniq came in.

鈥淚t鈥檚 our dream and our vision as an academy to be able to go and offer this training throughout Nunavut,鈥� said Sibanda, adding that there is a lot of talent in Rankin Inlet.

As of the end of the program, participants are now able to offer relaxation massages and nail services. They can achieve higher certification by joining the advanced training offered by the Nunavut Wellness Academy.

Adigii Nukapiak, one of the participants, said she was learning new things every day and enjoying the program.

鈥淚 like to learn new things and it鈥檚 good for the community because it鈥檚 something we don鈥檛 actually have for people to get in our hometown,鈥� she said, adding that it was her dream to open a nail salon with hairdressing and a spa one day.

She was glad she took the leap to join the course.

鈥淚 just want to tell everybody, if you want to do something, try it,鈥� said Nukapiak. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter if you don鈥檛 know. Just keep trying and maybe you鈥檒l get interested in it. Like myself, I didn鈥檛 know I could have patience for nails, but I really enjoy it and it鈥檚 something really new to me.鈥�