EMPOWERING TOMORROW'S TECH TALENT

SAIT’s innovative approach helps students and graduates acquire and maintain the technology tools they need for success.

Preparing post-secondary students for Calgary’s ever-evolving economy means embracing innovation and challenging traditional boundaries. That’s just what Dr. Raynie Wood, Dean of School for Advanced Digital Technology (SADT), and the SAIT team do.

For the institution to be innovative, Wood says it’s about having a heightened level of awareness around inflection points on the technology landscape — being mindful of what’s happening and changing.

“More importantly,” she adds, “it’s the adaptation and acceleration of updating a program to ensure we meet the needs for graduate preparation and direct transition to working.”

One of the traditional boundaries higher education has had to overcome is the established method of updating programs on a yearly basis, or setting up new programs every two years.

“A program that is a couple of years old runs the risk of becoming outdated at a time when technology is advancing or accelerating at a pace we’ve never seen before,” Wood says. “Innovation for us means challenging the status quo and always looking to be the best, but also recognizing there are going to be the foundations of technology and media. So how do we make sure our graduates have the problem solving, critical thinking and power skills to continue to adapt and grow?”

To address this need for new innovative options tailored for today’s workforce, SADT introduced four new programs in 2023 — two focusing on information technology as well as one on data analytics, and another on cyber and information security.

Another challenge is keeping graduates current with the latest knowledge through continued learning, such as short courses, bootcamps and updating credentials. “You can’t just assume that once you’ve graduated, what you have will be the only thing you rely on for the rest of your career,” says Wood.

She emphasizes how SAIT’s innovative approach to ensuring its program outcomes meet the needs of today’s workforce — which includes students working directly with industry — helps meet the needs of Calgary’s economic diversification.

As different businesses consider Calgary as a place to expand or set up shop, “we make sure we are tied into what competencies are required by companies, whether they are a startup or a large corporation,” says Wood. “There are so many different levels of talent needed throughout the breadth of the types of industries and corporations we work with. We’re building on the foundations of individuals who have previous work experience or education as well as helping new students coming out of Grade 12.”

SAIT’s work-integrated learning opportunities help students and businesses coming to Calgary share experiences, working collaboratively to solve challenges. It’s a win/win, ensuring students are prepared for career success and industry has the talent they need.

“Organizations don’t want to move somewhere they don’t have access to talent so we take our responsibility really seriously, making sure the workforce is here,” affirms Wood. “Give someone the skills and opportunities to continually upgrade their knowledge, and they will carry that with them forever.”