A new pilot program will train fluent Indigenous language speakers to become interpreters at the Northwest Territories (NT) Legislative Assembly. Indigenous language speakers can apply for the program until April 26, 2026.

The Interpreter Career Pathway Program, a joint initiative between the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and the NT Legislative Assembly, is designed to ensure highly specialized Indigenous language interpretation can continue to support the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly.  Interpreters play a vital role in ensuring that political matters of the government are accessible to all residents across the territory.

Program participants will receive paid training that combines practical on-the-job experience with online learning throughout the year, and pairs participants with current seasoned Legislative Assembly interpreters. Trainees will shadow experienced interpreters in-booth during at least two live Legislative Assembly sessional proceedings and participate in simulated interpretation sessions.

Current Legislative Assembly interpreters are collaborating on developing the program curriculum, which will emphasize Trainer-Trainee relationship-building, ongoing terminology development, guidance, and on-the-job training, as well as the development of both practical skills and theoretical knowledge essential for this unique and specialized field.

Throughout the program, fluent Indigenous language speakers will develop the specialized skills and confidence needed to deliver simultaneous interpretation services in legislative settings. Graduates will come away equipped with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to support a career pathway interpreting at the NT Legislative Assembly, ensuring residents have continued access to proceedings in Indigenous languages.

The pilot program will run from May 2026 to March 2027, with one applicant selected for each of the following eight official Indigenous languages:

1. Dene Kǝdǝ́ (North Slavey)
2. Dëne Sųłıné (Chipewyan)
3. Dene Zhatıé (South Slavey)
4. Dinjii Zhuʼ Ginjik (Gwich’in)
5. Inuinnaqtun
6. Inuktitut
7. Inuvialuktun
8. Tłı̨chǫ

If you are a fluent Indigenous language speaker, please apply for this opportunity. Priority will be given to advanced language speakers who are also fluent in reading and writing, although not mandatory for application. The deadline to apply is April 26, 2026.

For the purposes of this program, “fluent” means being able to comfortably carry on a conversation in the language by listening and responding with ease. It does not need to be a person’s first language, nor does it need to be spoken perfectly.

The GNWT and Legislative Assembly recognize that many Indigenous language speakers are still on their language learning journey, and that fluency can be defined differently from person to person. Individuals who may not self-identify as “fluent,” but who can comfortably hold a conversation, should consider themselves eligible under this definition.

For more information or to apply visit: https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/en/services/indigenous-languages-and-education/interpreter-career-pathway-program 

Quick facts

• In adherence with the Official Languages Act and the NT Legislative Assembly’s Reconciliation Action Plan, the Legislative Assembly has a mandate to provide its Sessional proceedings and services in each of the 11 Official Languages of the Northwest Territories.
• Fulfilling these obligations requires a sustainable, skilled workforce, which stresses the urgency of succession planning and the need to build a new pool of trained Indigenous language interpreters.
• Relentless Indigenous Woman Co. (RIW Co.), an Indigenous-owned consulting firm specializing in Indigenous pedagogy and curriculum development, is developing the curriculum for the Interpreter Career Pathway Program. RIW Co. is working closely with current Legislative Assembly interpreters, so that their knowledge and expertise directly shape and guide the curriculum .

Quotes

“The Interpreter Career Pathway Program is a new cross-government initiative to grow the next generation of Indigenous language interpreters at the Legislative Assembly. Program participants will build their Indigenous language skills with ongoing mentorship and on-the-job training. By investing in people and building interpreter capacity, we are also supporting language revitalization. I appreciate the expertise and ongoing commitment of our Legislative Assembly interpreters, without whom this new program would not be possible, and look forward to meeting program participants and following their progress.”

 - Caitlin Cleveland, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment  

“Language revitalization is an essential priority at the Legislative Assembly. Legislative interpretation plays a vital role in supporting democracy and legislation, ensuring all residents of the Northwest Territories have access to Sessional Proceedings in their language. To support the sustainability of this essential service, this pilot program aims to build professional interpreter service capacity within the Northwest Territories and offer participants with lasting skills and opportunities. I look forward to the launch of the program, and hearing about the success of its participants.”

 - Shane Thompson, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories

Related links:

• Interpreter Career Pathway Program Application Form | Education, Culture and Employment
• Interpreter Career Pathway Program | Education, Culture and Employment

For media requests, please contact:

Agata Gutkowska
Manager of Public Affairs and Communications
Education, Culture and Employment
Government of the Northwest Territories 
Email: agata_gutkowska@gov.nt.ca

Public Affairs and Communications
Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly
Email: LA_PAC@ntassembly.ca