FORGING THE PATH, GUIDING THE WAY S P I R I T O M E G A C E L E B R AT E S 2 5 Y E A R S A S L E A D E R S I N W O R K F O RC E D I V E R S I T Y S O L U T I O N S PUBLISHED BY BRITTANY FOUQUETTE | PHOTOS BY APEX MEDIA WORKS
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t has been an incredible journey of determination and persistence for Janice Larocque, founder and president of Spirit Omega, every step of the way.
Larocque’s company, along with subsidiary Fast Labour Solutions (FLS), is an award-winning recruitment service provider, specializing in Indigenous recruitment, community engagement and consultations. Omega’s team is passionate about addressing the lack of diversity and Indigenous representation across the nation. Their aim is to break down the barriers faced by all minority populations trying to enter into the workforce. A well-defined mission has guided Larocque from the start. “It was important to me that Indigenous peoples
had access to the job market - good salaries and safe jobs,” she explains. “I was determined to build a bridge to close the gap between Indigenous peoples and corporate Calgary.” Spirit Omega began operations in 1998, a monumental feat for Larocque who, at the time, was a single mother with limited resources. A Métis woman from a small community in Manitoba, Larocque is no stranger to barriers. As the manager of an Indigenous Career and Employment centre in 1990, she swam upstream against an overwhelming tide of barriers that prevented Indigenous peoples from finding good jobs or launching careers. But while she could do nothing
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