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Shale Recollet never gave the idea of having a career in the mining industry serious thought.

But that changed when he signed up for the Noront Resources and the Mining Matters Aboriginal Youth Camp.

“From doing this I might take mining as a career,” said the 18-year-old from Wikwemikong First Nation on Tuesday. “This shows me what all my options are and there are a lot of options available.”

The five-day camp, which started on Monday, gave youth a chance to learn more about the mining industry as well as steps they would need to accomplish if they decided to choose a career in the mining sector.

About 60 campers from various First Nation communities spent a day at Confederation College for classroom work, planned to do a GPS treasure hunt at Lakehead University and then a trip to Lac des Iles mine later in the week.

Shale moved to Thunder Bay when his mother found work in the city about nine years ago. She heard about the camp and told him about it. With nothing better planned, Shale signed up and said he was glad that he did.

“This is pretty fun. I like the group work involved,” he said. “I like science and you get to learn more about it. You learn more about the rocks and the minerals and the science behind it.”

Barbara Green Parker, the Aboriginal education specialist with the youth camp, said the camp focuses on educating the public about the importance the mining industry has on everyday life. There will be a demand for skilled labour workers especially for large mining projects such as the Ring of Fire.

She said the camp will help students who are interested in the mining field prepare themselves for that career path.

“What I am preparing them for is the idea that they can realize their potential,” Green Parker said.

“Giving them the information to make informed decisions about how they are going to go forward with their education and ultimately realize their goal. It is so important that First Nation and all students understand the importance of having a baseline Grade 12 education is essentially in being successful.”

But with any industry, there are risks involved.

Green Parker said they know the industry can be cyclical so they make sure the students learn about investor interests, junior exploration and other challenges that could come up in the mining sector