College students on summer internships often spend their time collating documents in the copy room or doing data entry. But for Lyle Acoose, the first person hired for PotashCorp's Aboriginal internship program, the experience was anything but tedious.

From attending a Human Resources conference to taking part in a crisis communication drill, Acoose's internship duties provided him with valuable experience in a corporate environment and insight into the career path he'd like to follow.

"I want to be in a profession where Aboriginal people are currently under-represented, and I am hoping that all things lead back to PotashCorp some day," said the 32-year-old University of Saskatchewan management studies major.

The internship came about after PotashCorp representatives met several times with senior representatives from the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies – a First Nations or Aboriginal-administered post-secondary institution that provides vocational and technical training for Aboriginal people in the province.

A look at employment statistics reported by the Assembly of First Nations points out the need for such internships and employment opportunities.

Off-reserve Aboriginal people in Western Canada had an unemployment rate of 13.6 percent in 2005, more than double the 5.3 percent rate for non-Aboriginal people the same year, according to Statistics Canada.

"At PotashCorp, we have been working to increase diversity in the workplace, and our Aboriginal initiative is one way," said Lee Knafelc, Senior Director of Human Resources. "We thought that offering an internship opportunity to a student of Aboriginal descent would be a good way to bring a unique cultural perspective to our Saskatoon office."

"During the eight weeks he was in our department, Lyle brought a new and refreshing perspective to his duties," said Knafelc. "In addition, I felt I had a great resource to go to for a discussion on workplace issues and challenges that Aboriginal students face."

Acoose proved invaluable in establishing contacts within the Aboriginal community and in setting up interviews with university officials to discuss how PotashCorp could expand its offerings to attract people of Aboriginal descent to its workforce.

The end of the internship does not mean his relationship with the company has ended.

"Lyle will be telling people about PotashCorp, and we will continue to have dialogue with him," said Knafelc. "We will also be here for Lyle, recognizing that many business students need corporate contacts for school projects."

Having a contact in the Aboriginal community will be useful as PotashCorp brings on hundreds of new jobs in the coming years. The company has announced several projects designed to raise the operational capacity of potash production from 10.8 million tonnes in 2007 to 17.2 million tonnes in 2015.

"When we hire for our expansions, and to replace many employees who are reaching retirement age, we will want to pull from all segments of the community, to get the best personnel possible," Knafelc said.

Several experiences during his internship offered Acoose an insider's view of corporate life. He helped compile a cross-referenced manual of the collective bargaining agreements for the six potash mines; attended a crisis communications drill; assisted in the company's response to a crisis at the Cory mine; and helped represent PotashCorp at the Red Pheasant Games in North Battleford. He also took part in a Human Resources conference for professionals in Saskatchewan and helped the company devise strategies to enhance relations with the Aboriginal population.

"My experience this summer at PotashCorp boosted my confidence in knowing that people working in large corporations really do value what diversity has to offer," said Acoose. "Having an experienced group of professionals around me provided great role models for good work habits that I hope to incorporate into my own performance."

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