The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) has launched a new program this week that invites Indigenous youth to participate in the PDAC 2025 Convention, which will take place from March 2 to 5 in Toronto next year.  

The Indigenous Youth and Early Career Ambassador Program will provide up to five participants with an all-access pass to the PDAC Convention, along with travel assistance and invitations to select events and other opportunities, to encourage participation of Indigenous youth and early career professionals in the mineral industry. The program was developed in collaboration with PDAC’s Indigenous Affairs Committee, and with guidance from Indigenous PDAC members and partners at Mining Matters, an organization that educates youth about earth sciences and the mineral industry.  

Applicants must be Indigenous, between 19 and 30 years old, present an interest in the mineral industry and demonstrate a dedication to the well-being of their community. Preference will be given to PDAC individual and student members in good standing. Those interested in applying can fill out an application for themselves, or be nominated by a member of their community or a PDAC corporate member. The application consists of a few short questions and can be completed online. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and PDAC will start to review applications and select ambassadors starting on Oct. 1 until the program is full. 

“In speaking with past Indigenous attendees, their key takeaways from the convention have included opportunities for dialogue, inspiration, networking, discovery and confidence,” PDAC said in a statement emailed to CIM Magazine. “For youth and early career professionals, [attending] PDAC can mean discovering a new career or education pathway, meeting a mentor or Elder, connecting with peers, learning best practices or new approaches for industry engagement or community participation and development, and contributing unique insights to conversations around Indigenous participation, collaboration and leadership in the mineral sector.”  

Candidates from anywhere in Canada are eligible to be selected as an ambassador, and the organization aims to engage with Indigenous communities across the country to share information about this new program and to establish a broad and diverse delegation. 

“We hope that by participating in this initiative, ambassadors will gain practical insights into the mineral industry that they can take back to their communities and organizations,” said Raymond Goldie, president of PDAC, in a July 15 press release. 

First held in 1932, the annual PDAC Convention sees an average of 25,000 participants from across the globe attend each year.