Qikiqtani Futures
Summer Internship Program for Inuit Youth —
Fostering the Next Generation of Marine Professionals
Sponsor: Qikiqtaaluk Corporation Fisheries Division (QCFD)
Hands-on work experience at sea, marine training and mentoring prepare a group of Inuit youth from the Qikiqtani Region of Nunavut for careers and future employment in the fisheries and marine sector in the Eastern Arctic
Qikiqtaaluk Corporation Fisheries Division (QCFD) is pleased to be partnering with the Canadian Hydrographic Service, a division of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Miawpukek Horizon Maritime Services, and other partners, to offer the first eight-week paid research internship in July-August 2025 for Inuit youth ages 18 to 30 onboard the vessel, the Polar Prince
QCFD is sponsoring 10 internships for Inuit youth and, for the first time, hiring an Inuit trainee in logistics management acting as Group Leader, for the 2025 inaugural summer internship program.
The internship program will launch in Iqaluit on 14 July this year with a week of pre-expedition orientation and training. Interns then fly to Kuujjuaq, Quebec, on 23 July where they will participate in additional pre-expedition activities before boarding the Polar Prince. The expedition will depart from Kuujjuaq on 28 July for the transit to the island of Newfoundland for the first three legs of the expedition. For the fourth and final leg of the expedition, interns will transit from St John’s, Newfoundland, to Pangnirtung, Nunavut, on 26 August, then return to Iqaluit on 1 September.
Collaboration with Nunavut and Newfoundland Training Institutions
The work experiences and marine training modules for the Qikiqtani Futures Summer Internship Program are being developed in collaboration with marine training institutions in Nunavut and Newfoundland: Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Consortium and Nunavut Arctic College in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and the Marine Institute of Memorial University in St John’s, Newfoundland.
Career Pathways for Inuit Youth in the Fisheries
and Marine Sector
Maximizing Inuit employment and professional development has always been an objective of the Fisheries Division of Qikiqtaaluk Corporation. To that end, QCFD launched the Qikiqtani Futures Youth Outreach and Training Initiative
in fall 2022.
The program’s goal is to introduce Inuit youth to the range of potential employment opportunities available in the Arctic fisheries and broader marine sector, and to develop local human resource capacity for the establishment of a community-based inshore fisheries in the Qikiqtani Region. Supporting potential candidates in advancing to managerial and technical positions is also a key goal.
Providing hands-on work experiences, training opportunities and mentoring through outreach programs such as the 2025 Summer Internship Program on the Polar Prince is a key strategy for building career pathways for the next generation of marine professionals for the Qikiqtani Region.
Shipboard Tasks, Mentoring and Training
During the expedition, interns will develop practical skills and supplement their training regarding the navigation, safety, and operations of a large ship, through mentoring and interactions with onboard marine professionals. Participants will also gain the technical skills required for the deployment and retrieval of marine scientific instrumentation (CTDs, ROVs, SV probes, MBES), as well as collect physical samples for eDNA analysis, visualize hydrographic soundings, and manipulate digital data, following standardized protocols and procedures. Uses and implications of marine technologies within the context of inshore fisheries and marine protected waters in Arctic waters will be discussed.
Interns will be divided into two cohort groups, Vessel Operations, and Marine Science and Technology, based on their career interests and training. They will rotate through all tasks during the research cruise either as a full group or in individual cohorts.
Fact Sheet and FAQs
More details of the 2025 Qikiqtani Futures Summer Internship Program (timeline, eligibility, rate of pay, costs covered, etc.) are provided in the attached Fact Sheet and FAQs.
Nomination and Selection Process
Interns will be selected based on a nomination process. Senior staff and instructors at the Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Consortium and Nunavut Arctic College in Iqaluit will submit nominations to the project management team for the Qikiqtani Futures Summer Internship Program.
Successful nominees will be notified of their acceptance by May 15, 2025.
For More Information
For information about the 2025 summer internship program and the information sessions on April 23, please email:
Jonathan Case, Project Manager,
QCFD Summer Internship Program
Qikiqtaaluk Corporation
Email: jcase@qcorp.ca
QCFD wishes to recognize and thank the following partner organizations for their contributions to the development of the 2025 Qikiqtani Futures Summer Internship Program:
