The Unama'ki Economic Benefits Office is hoping to fill hundreds of jobs related to the $25-billion federal shipbuilding contract awarded to the Irving-owned Halifax Shipyard. (CBC)

The Unama'ki Economic Benefits Office in Cape Breton has received $6 million from the federal government to help train aboriginal peoples for jobs in the shipbuilding industry.

The benefits office, based in Membertou, is an economic development organization that focuses on forming business partnerships for the benefit of aboriginal people and industry.

Alex Paul, the director of the Unama'ki Economic Benefits Office, said the group wants to fill hundreds of jobs related to the $25-billion federal shipbuilding contract awarded to the Irving-owned Halifax Shipyard.

In the past, such training programs have helped create permanent jobs for aboriginal people at major companies such as Bell Aliant and the former NewPage Port Hawkesbury paper mill.

Paul said that past success helped the office during its talks with Irving Shipbuilding.

"When we started having those discussions with Irving they realized that it was more of a business approach, we wanted to look at their business overall and see if there were opportunities to work with them," he said.

"Based on that and our approach in all our meetings with them so far, they seem to be very committed to helping get more aboriginal people working in the shipbuilding industry."

Paul said there are numerous jobs connected to the shipbuilding contract that could be available for aboriginal people.

"We're looking at about 260 of those jobs to be tied to shipbuilding, not specifically with Irving. We're also looking at many of the companies in the supply chain where we think many of the jobs will be," he said.

"Irving has been a tremendous partner working with us so far and we believe going forward they will help broker some of these relationships and introductions with some of the companies who are interested in being part of that supply chain with them."

The $6 million will be used to benefit all aboriginal people in the province, both on and off reserve. Paul said anyone who's aboriginal and living in Nova Scotia is eligible for training.

The first step in applying for the training is to contact a local native employment officer. They can be found on any of the province's 13 reserves or through off-reserve community groups.