BC's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 80
80
BC’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
It’s a vibrant culture at Williams Lake First Nation
W
hen Darian
Philbrick got
his first job
at Williams
Lake First
Nation (WLFN), he started on the
ground floor in operations and
maintenance, fixing broken pipes,
changing roof tiles, and sweeping
the office. But he knew he could
aim for the top. And now, there are
no more leaky faucets on his daily
to-do list.
“They’re super focused on
helping you grow and get you to
where you want to be within the
organization,” says Philbrick, now
a FireSmart technician.
I have never felt
so welcomed in an
organization before.
I wake up every day
happy to come to work.
— Darian Philbrick
FireSmart Technician
“You’re not going to be stuck at
entry level. They listened to me
when I told them how I wanted
to help the community. They’ve
invested a lot in me, and they want
to keep doing that, so I’m happy to
be here.”
Williams Lake First Nation
is the governing body for the
community. The administration
office is located between the City
of Williams Lake and the Nation’s
main community of T’exelc, also
known as Sugar Cane. With a
staff of 123, WLFN delivers a wide
range of programs and services
Chief Willie Sellars of Williams Lake First Nation (from left) with culture team members Val West, Cecil Sheena
and William Lulua.
to members, including health,
education, language, culture,
natural resource management,
economic development, and
emergency services.
As a FireSmart technician,
Philbrick works with his fellow
employees to prepare fire
mitigation processes, a critical
role as wildfires in the region
are increasing. New to his role,
he appreciates how WLFN has
provided him with the support he
needs to be successful.
“They’ve supported me so much
with schooling and they offer tons
of training,” says Philbrick.
“If you talk to them about what
career path you want to take,
they’ll sponsor you through school
and make it possible for you to do
whatever you want to do.”
WLFN takes a holistic approach
to supporting its employees,
says Kourtney Cook, chief
administrative officer.
“Our mission is to continue
to be a healthy and prosperous
community, so we need healthy,
prosperous staff to create change,”
says Cook. “We empower our
employees so they have the
opportunity to make positive
change.”
Generous time off, flexible
work schedules and maternity
leave top-up are part of a
comprehensive package of
support. It also includes a
lifestyle spending account which
employees can use for reasons
including fitness, sport activities,
personal development, and
cultural or traditional care.
“It’s amazing,” says Philbrick.
“They allow me to do cultural
things and not have to take
time off for it. If I want to see
a traditional doctor or need to
smudge, they let me just go and do
that.”
The strong community and
cultural connections create a work
culture that feels like an extended
