Arviat teen completes a week of RCMP training in Regina

Sylvia Kablutsiak is only in Grade 11, but she had a taste of what it was like to become a police officer at the RCMP training depot in Regina.

Earlier this month, Kablutsiak joined 31 other high school students from across Canada to take part in a national youth engagement program with the RCMP learning everything from physical drills and decision making to taking part in driving and shooting simulations.

Kablutsiak, from Arviat, was the only student selected from Nunavut.

She said she applied for the programto help determine her career path after graduating.

"I needed to experience it before I decided I wanted to do it or not," said Kablutsiak, who saysshe's deciding between social work and law enforcement.

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Meeting an officer from Arivat

Kablutsiak said she even had an RCMP officer shout in her face, as a part of an exercise.

"When that drill trainer was shouting in my face, I just handled it and kept calm and let it flow," said Kablutsiak. "I just let it happen."

At the training, Kablutsiak said she saw Cst. David Aglukark, who is also from Arviat.

"That motivated me to become a cop. If he's an Inuk and doing it, then I can be an Inuk and do it too."

Kablutsiak says she recommends other Nunavut youth consider applying for the program.

"They could learn a lot from it," she said.

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