Partners 2012

PARTNERS

MEET YOUR FUTURE AT THE SASKATCHEWAN INSTITUTE OF APPLIED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SPRING / SUMMER 2012

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PLUS NEW NURSING PARTNERSHIP, AWARD WINNERS, DEGREES GET CLOSER, GREAT GRADS

[ PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ]

SIAST is a first-choice post-secondary institution BY the end of June, I will have officiated at 50 SIAST graduations – five per year during my tenure as SIAST’s president and CEO. During that 10-year period, more than 75,000 students have graduated from SIAST or have completed their apprenticeship training with us. As I prepare for my retirement this summer, I feel privileged to have contributed to the success of these learners.

The province’s economic prosperity means SIAST grads are entering the workforce at a time when the knowledge and skills they have acquired is keenly appreciated. Our grads and apprentices know what SIAST alumni have known for decades: Technical education leads to rewarding and fulfilling careers. What is different now is that everyone else knows it, too.

That knowledge – along with the economic boom – has manifested in increased demand for a SIAST education. Over a four-year period, for instance, SIAST enrolment increased by 30 percent. Our graduate employment rate is consistently high, and em-

PARTNERS

ployers continue to give our grads top marks.

The credit for positioning SIAST as a first-choice post-secondary institution goes to SIAST’s faculty, staff and management team, supported by a committed board of directors and the Ministry of Advanced Education. Our employees’ expertise and dedication ensure that SIAST is prepared to meet the growing demand for technical education from students and employers. SIAST employees are innovative and entrepreneurial, meeting the challenges faced by contemporary learning institutions in fields ranging from applied research to accountability. In areas such as Aboriginal student success, online learning and international development, they are leaders nationally and abroad.

It has been a pleasure and an honour to serve the province of Saskatchewan with these fine folk.

A decade of highlights 30: The percentage enrolment has increased over four years International: SIAST offers the Business Admin program in Vietnam and Mauritius New: SIAST established an Office of Applied Research and Innovation 70: The percentage apprenticeship training has increased over four years Now eligible: SIAST projects can apply for Natural Sciences and Research Council funding ASAP: The Aboriginal Student Achievement Plan launched 36: The number of student family housing units that we built 100: The percentage of housing units that came in on time and on budget 1st: SIAST launched Saskatchewan’s first highfidelity health care simulation learning centres On deck: SIAST is poised to grant degrees 30: Number of honorary diplomas awarded

Dr. Robert G. McCulloch SIAST President & CEO

[ CONTENTS ]

04 Briefs/brights:

Published by the Saskatchewan Institute of Science and Technology SIAST Communications Tel: 306.659.3793 Email: communications@siast.sk.ca Editor: Mifi Purvis Art director: Tony Sutton, newsdesign.net Photographers: Tom Bartlett, Deborah Clague

Education for nurses,

Simulation labs,

Mining news,

SIAST campuses: Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina, Saskatoon Cover: SIAST brokers program in Ho Chi Minh City

Degrees are coming Page 4

05 Social responsibility:

How we do it

06 SIAST in Vietnam 08 Donor and alumni stories Join us online: facebook.com/SIAST twitter.com/SIAST YouTube.com/SIASTtv www.goSIAST.com 02 partners - www.goSIAST.com

10 Meet our grads Pages 6 and 7

11 The honour is ours

[ NEWS ]

SIAST welcomes incoming president and CEO SIAST’S next president and CEO, Dr. Larry Rosia, brings experience that is well suited to SIAST’s priorities.

Dr. Rosia is currently dean of the School of Construction at SAIT Polytechnic in Alberta, where he was instrumental in implementing baccalaureate-level programming, in developing applied research capabilities and in the development of the SAIT Trades and Technology Complex. He assumes his new role with SIAST on July 1.

“SIAST has experienced double-digit enrolment growth as it has evolved to meet the changing needs of learners and the labour market,” says Pam Schwann, SIAST board chair. “As Saskatchewan emerges as an economic leader, we anticipate greater demand for innovation and growth linked to labour market needs and student success.”

Schwann says Dr. Rosia’s skills will maintain SIAST’s momentum, capturing new opportunities and ensuring that students have access to a high-quality education – and that employers have access to a highly skilled workforce.

Dr. Rosia says, “We live in a time when the significance of a post-secondary technical education, training and innovation has never been greater – both for individual success and for the strength of the province. I am honoured to have the opportunity to join SIAST and play a role in the success of this great organization at such an important time.”

Dr. Rosia will succeed Dr. Robert G. McCulloch, who led SIAST through a period of growth and innovation over the past decade, and who is retiring at the end of June.

Crop for Bio

About the new recruit LARRY ROSIA has been dean of the School of Construction at SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary since 1999.

His career in education and education administration spans more than 35 years. Dr. Rosia’s current responsibilities as dean include all operational and strategic aspects of the department, including student success strategies, continual improvement in learner satisfaction rates and creating a positive, professional work environment.

An alumnus of SAIT Polytechnic and a lifelong learner, Dr. Rosia has a background in telecommunications engineering, adult education and educational policy and administration. In 2006 he completed his PhD in academic leadership at the University of Calgary, and he attended the Executive Leadership program at Harvard University. He has earned recognition and awards from organizations such as the SAIT Board of Governors, the Conference Board of Canada and the Chair Academy.

Dr. Rosia is an adjunct professor at Royal Roads University in Victoria and the author of a book titled The Successful College President. He is an ambassador for the post-secondary community.

HELLO: Introducing Dr. Larry Rosia, SIAST’s new president and CEO.

In conversation with Dr. Larry Rosia Q

What attracted you to the role of SIAST president and CEO? The incredible potential I see in SIAST, in the training and education it provides, and in the vital role it plays in ensuring the social and economic prosperity of Saskatchewan. The province is emerging as an economic leader in Canada, and SIAST is part of that success story. I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead SIAST as it seizes its position as one of Canada’s premier technical institutions.

Q

What will your priorities be once you start your new position?

My first priority will be to engage with faculty, staff, students and key external stakeholders, including alumni and people in industry, government and education, to learn more about the context in which SIAST operates. I want to gain perspectives about the institution’s strengths and opportunities. SIAST has made significant strides in providing

responsive and relevant technical education, in supporting Aboriginal student success and in international education.

Learning more about the landscape at SIAST and about its aspirations for the future, and learning about the SIAST culture are my first steps as new president and CEO.

Q

What are the key opportunities for technical education in Saskatchewan?

Technical education is a primary driver of economic wealth in Saskatchewan. As new technologies evolve, drive the economy and shape society, SIAST is well positioned to play a critical role in a prosperous province.

Saskatchewan is enjoying unprecedented resource-driven economic growth that positions the province to take its place as a national leader in growth and innovation.

The key to sustainable growth and economic prosperity, however, is an educated, productive workforce. A technical education is becoming the first choice for learners attracted to lucrative job and career opportunities.

Q

What are the challenges for technical education in Saskatchewan?

The critical importance of a technically skilled workforce to the economic and social well-being of Saskatchewan means we need to address key challenges. Some of these include raising awareness about the value of a technical education in today’s economy and ensuring that the programming and curriculum are relevant to industry. We have to attract and retain qualified instructors in a competitive labour market and ensure that providers of technical education have learning spaces, facilities and capital equipment required to stay current with changing technology. We should have learning spaces and delivery methods that meet the changing needs of diverse student groups to give them access to a high-quality post-secondary technical education.

(Read more at www.goSIAST.com.) partners - spring / summer 2012 03

[ NEWS ]

Degrees are coming

New Simulation Learning Centre THE patient is clammy and his breathing is laboured.

Now, despite the care of the student nurses around him, what seemed like indigestion is really a heart attack. Once the team has either rescued him from the brink, or unhappily not rescued him, they’ll retreat to a debriefing room, possibly to review video of the event. Either way, the patient, actually a high-tech mannequin at SIAST Kelsey Campus’s Simulation Learning Centre, will live through this and as many as 90 other critical and chronic conditions, all in the name of education.

The mannequin is just part of a new state-of-the-art Simulation Learning Centre, and the nurses are just one group of students to benefit. The 10,000-squarefoot facility includes treatment and assessment rooms, an “apartment” that simulates a home environment, a birthing room, equipment control rooms and debriefing rooms. In clinical-like scenarios, students perform myriad diagnostic and treatment plans on the “patients,” including drawing blood, taking temperature, and measuring responsiveness. They can insert IVs and catheters, and intubate and ventilate. One of the mannequins even simulates birth.

The centre provides practical learning in which students from Nursing, Paramedic and Continuing

LIFELIKE: Students learn real-life clinical skills.

Care and other programs develop critical thinking and clinical skills, often working in interprofessional teams. This year, hundreds of students will use the centre, which is part of a $4.2-million renovation project funded by the federal and provincial governments.

Mining program starts in September SIAST is gearing up for the first intake of students in Mining Engineering Technology, a program designed with input from industry experts that provides hands-on training in mining design and operation.

“The program ensures that Saskatchewan has a qualified labour force to meet the growing demands of the sector,” says Jamie Hilts, dean of Technology. The new effort expands on SIAST’s existing programs that equip grads to work in the sector, including various engineering technology specialties and trades.

Thanks to help from industry partners, Hilts anticipates the program will be a success. “It’s been a very collaborative process where we’ve had an enormous amount of support, feedback and contribution from the various mining companies in the province,” he says.

The new two-year diploma program covers surface and underground surveying, mine ventilation, ground control, and mine planning and design using a combination 04 partners - www.goSIAST.com

IT’S not news that SIAST responds to the requirements of industry with career-focused certificate and diploma programs. But now SIAST is taking steps to include degrees to its roster.

The then-Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration (AEEI) commissioned a study of the state of post-secondary education that recommended the province expand degree-granting status beyond Saskatchewan’s two universities. Baccalaureate degrees at SIAST will improve access for students and make it easier for graduates to increase their professional opportunities.

“It represents a step forward for post-secondary education in Saskatchewan,” says SIAST president and CEO Dr. Bob McCulloch. He says that the move will help SIAST remain current and attract students who might otherwise travel elsewhere or, worse, not pursue the education that is right for them.

Applied learning is SIAST’s bread and butter, so the institution is particularly interested in the opportunity to add baccalaureate programs of an applied nature. “Offering degrees will allow the sector to be more responsive to labour market needs, while increasing choices for students,” McCulloch says. It will also increase access to higher education for non-traditional students – SIAST serves more Aboriginal students than any post-secondary institution in the province. Students can expect SIAST to focus on areas in which it has already established expertise.

Meet the nurses THE Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (SCBScN) had its first intake in fall 2011 with 200 seats in Regina and 150 in Saskatoon. SIAST has been graduating nurses for more than 40 years, and now, in partnership with the University of Regina, SIAST students can complete a nursing degree. Plans are afoot to offer eight seats in Swift Current in September 2013.

See sasknursingdegree.ca for more.

* BY 2025 NEW PARTNER: AREVA donated $100,000 to SIAST’s Mining Engineering Technology program. of classroom and hands-on learning. Mining Engineering Technology, which aims to address the Saskatchewan Mining Association’s predicted need for more than 15,000 workers in mining over the next decade, has its first intake in August 2012.

l 62,367 students will graduate from or complete apprenticeship training at SIAST, and l Will have earned $33.4 billion+ l Will pay provincial income taxes of $3.7 billion+

Champions of Social Responsibility

SIAST works at an institutional level to embrace ideals that will lead to a thriving and caring society in Saskatchewan and beyond. We’re also proud of the individual actions our faculty, staff and students take every day to live in a socially responsible manner.

Here’s a sampling.

A CHANGE IN FACE

ABOUT RACE

PEARLY WHITES

HOUSE OF GREEN

BEYOND BOOKS

A NEW MOVEMENT

HUMAN LIBRARY

NO ONE HUNGRY

In March, SIAST Palliser Campus co-hosted an expo called “Building Inclusiveness in Our Diverse Community.”

The event, which included a panel of local employers, aimed to address issues arising from diversity and conflict in the workplace and community.

A free lecture series in March in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert, co-sponsored

by SIAST, featured author Tim Wise, who discussed such issues as white privilege, systemic barriers to diversity and organizational change.

Second-year students in SIAST’s Dental Hygiene program worked under the guidance of dentists and hygienists to offer oral health assessments, cleaning and screening to the public at reduced cost. “We’re proud to provide this service to the community,” says Brenda Udahl, SIAST Dental Hygiene program head.

In February, SIAST Palliser Campus co-hosted the 2012 Green and Sustainable Energy Housing Forum and Fair. Keynote speaker Eric Penner de Waal of Waalnut Construction screened the film We Can Build a House Out of That about how his company built a 512-square-foot, two-bedroom home from 80 percent recycled materials.

“SIAST Woodland Campus library is part of the larger Prince Albert community,” says Marion Amyotte, a library technician.

The campus library hosted the work of area photographers this spring after striking an agreement to show art that the public library wasn’t able to accommodate.

To address the high drop-out rate of girls from organized physical activities, students from the Recreation and Tourism Management program helped the City of Saskatoon with Girls in Motion, a free event for girls aged 10 to 15.

Participants tried a variety of sports and physical activities and attended body image and nutritional seminars.

The SIAST Palliser Campus library and SIAST Positive Campus Committee hosted Saskatchewan’s first “Human Library” event in October. The event gave students and staff the opportunity to sign out a living book – a person with whom they might not otherwise interact – for a half-hour chat, connecting .

The Financial Services team at SIAST Palliser Campus raised almost $2,000 for Hunger in Moose Jaw, an organization that provides 300 lunches to city students daily.

STUDENTS NEAR AND FAR

THE GIVING GIFT

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

INSPIRED TO CARE

HABITAT FOR HOPE

EACH ONE TEACH ONE

REMEMBER LOVE

Architectural and Building Technologies student Renea Cave was on a team of eight (Global Students Helping Students) that travelled to the Thai border country to build schools for displaced migrant children from Burma. “It was shocking to hear what people had been through,” she says. For the third year running, students raised $15,000.

In the winter, SIAST Kelsey Campus hosted a presentation of Kohkoms in Toyland: The Rez Christmas Story by the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company, sponsored by the Aboriginal Student Achievement Program, among others. The company aims to produce theatre that engages Aboriginal youth, artists and the community.

SIAST partnered with Saskatoon Health Region for Take Our Kids to Work Day. Grade 9 children explored nursing and allied health programs and spoke to SIAST students in these programs. “It’s one thing to learn about health sciences through a book,” said Alysha Garrett, a workforce planning consultant at SHR. “It’s another to let students try things.”

SIAST employees Bev Petruk and Kendra Lischynski are part of Nashi, a charitable organization that works to stop human trafficking for at-risk children in Ukraine. The women work to raise funds and awareness about human trafficking.

Architectural and Building Technologies students from SIAST Palliser Campus volunteered time as general labourers on a Habitat for Humanity project in Moose Jaw, for a total of 75 days of labour on the project. The Habitat home was designed by SIAST grads at Robinson Designs.

Students in SIAST's Graphic Communications program spent a day mentoring students from Balcarres Community School as they developed posters about role models from their community.

“This was an opportunity for high school students to learn about community leaders – and to see potential for education in their future,” said Wayne Inverarity, Graphic Communications program head.

Lucie Clark, an instructor in the Chemical Technology program, remembers what life was like before her husband was diagnosed with a form of dementia five years ago at 53. Clark’s mother has also been touched by dementia.

Over the last 10 years, Clark has raised more than $10,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society of Saskatchewan. “I work with great people who have been very supportive,” she says.

partners - spring / summer 2012 05

[ COVER STORY ]

SIAST in Vietnam Photographs by Deborah Clague SIAST has long experience brokering education. Aiming to provide the best post-secondary opportunities to people across Saskatchewan, the institute has brokered programs through learning institutions in every corner of the province. SIAST’s world got even bigger recently when 133 students graduated with a two-year SIAST Business Admin diploma from Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry (HUI).

Canada’s Governor General David Johnston attended the graduation, which brought to 400 the number of HUI students to receive a SIAST diploma over five years.

“The program generates some revenue for SIAST,” says David Harvey, associate vice president of Business Development and Advancement. “But its main purpose is to provide opportunities for students and faculty abroad.

International study develops competencies that they otherwise wouldn’t have.” Students from Saskatchewan will have the opportunity to participate in international internships, he says, “and learners will be able to take part in coursework overseas.”

For Vietnamese students, having a SIAST diploma is prestigious, setting them up for higher incomes and better career opportunities. Canadian accreditation also helps those who plan to further their studies in Canada later.

Harvey says that the institution aims to expand its international program by developing a SIAST business diploma in India and Mauritius. “We look for academic partners that can meet and deliver our high standards and recruit the appropriate students,” 06 partners - www.goSIAST.com

Vietnam is the first overseas location in which SIAST has brokered a program, but the institution has consulting experience in more than 30 countries.

SIAST’s activities overseas include consulting on vocational education.

A SIAST education is a sure route to a g

Luu Tuyet Nhi says her favourite part of the Business Admin program is marketing.

great job in Vietnam.

Students celebrate Teacher’s Day at the institution.

Governor General of Canada David Johnston attended the graduation of 133 SIAST/HUI students.

Recent SIAST grads in Vietnam earn more money than many of their peers in the country.

partners - spring / summer 2012 07

[ NEWS ]

SIAST grows potential DONORS to SIAST have the option of designating their funds for one particular purpose or targeting several worthy causes. One option gives donors maximum impact in a single area, while another lets them gain profile in several.

Both approaches enhance the learning experience for SIAST students. When it donated $60,000 to SIAST earlier this year, Yara Canada Inc. chose to spread its generosity around, opting for a bundle of benefits – financial aid for students, a new learning tool and support in the job market.

The bulk of the chemical company’s contribution, $36,900, was earmarked for computer simulation software for SIAST’s Power Engineering Technology program. The program provides knowledge and skill development in power (steam) plant operations and industrial processes.

Additionally, the company designated $15,000 for scholarships that SIAST will offer over the next three years to a variety of students with financial needs, and $6,000 that will help fund the SIAST Palliser Campus and SIAST Kelsey Campus career fairs for the next three years. The fairs demonstrate employment opportunities to students and support corporate recruitment strategies.

Finally, $2,250 will help sponsor one of SIAST’s annual Business and Industry Dinners for the next three years.

Business and Industry Dinners give Yara the opportunity to network with students who can fill specific HR needs with the latest skills and knowledge. By spreading the donation over four areas, Yara has the opportunity to gain recognition and benefit students in a number of ways.

“Operating in the competitive Saskatchewan labour market, we realize the importance of working with SIAST to ensure our home-grown students become skilled trades-

POWER DONATION: Yara Canada Inc. bundled its generous donation, directing much of it to simulation software for the Power Engineering Technology program. people with access to the best equipment possible, to train the next generation of employees for our province and for our company,” says Michael Schlaug, plant manager for Yara Belle Plaine.

And Yara benefits by investing in its future workforce.

“SIAST is playing a role in developing workers who’ll fuel our economy,” Schlaug says. “We can play a role in helping SIAST to educate these people.”

Help wanted

Leave a legacy

How you benefit

FOR the last 10 years, SIAST has focused on securing donor support for the SIAST Student Awards program.

With the commitment of hundreds of people and organizations, the program has grown fourfold. This academic year (2011-2012), SIAST will provide $1.5 million in scholarships and bursaries, making a difference in the lives of thousands of SIAST students.

There’s more good news. The Government of Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Advanced Education is doubling the impact of donor gifts. The Saskatchewan Opportunity and Innovation program will match, dollar for dollar, donations that fund student awards.

Please call (306) 691-8226 or email stephansont@siast. sk.ca for details.

DONORS can establish a legacy now through a charitable planned gift, a way of making a statement about the values they’ve embraced. There are many different types of planned charitable gifts: bequests, life insurance, RRSPs and RRIFs, charitable remainder trusts and charitable gift annuities. SIAST is honoured to receive the trust of people who choose to advance the futures of Saskatchewan through education. And making a planned gift can also provide tax benefits to donors and their loved ones. For more information about making your legacy at SIAST, please contact SIAST Donor and Alumni Relations at (306) 775-7717 or alison.matheson@siast.sk.ca.

IF you are a donor considering a gift of listed securities versus a gift of cash, think about this: If your estate consists of appreciated listed securities as well as cash, it makes sense for you to donate the securities to SIAST and give the cash to your heirs rather than the other way around. There is a preferential tax treatment for donations of securities that will mean your heirs will keep some money that would otherwise go to capital gains taxes. For example, assuming your tax rate and tax credit rate are 44 percent, a bequest of securities of $100,000 market value (with a $20,000 cost base, leaving a capital gain of $80,000), versus a cash bequest of $100,000 will mean a net tax savings of $17,400 to your heirs.

Everyone’s financial situation is unique, so consult your legal or tax advisor to ensure that you get a full explanation.

08 partners - www.goSIAST.com

[ NEWS ]

Connect over dinner

This year’s outstanding students Maxine Poorman is a SIAST student in the two-year diploma program for Practical Nursing at the Kawacatoose First Nation Training Facility. She has advocated for continued maintenance of the building and band member support. She is the main liaison between the Kawacatoose students and the Band Council. Maxine receives an Outstanding Citizenship Award at SIAST Wascana Campus’s graduation ceremonies.

STAFF at Regina’s Hotel Saskatchewan attended to lastminute touches as 300 guests trickled in for a SIAST Business and Industry Dinner, a yearly event that connects SIAST’s Wascana Campus’s almost-graduates with Regina’s business leaders, many of whom are SIAST alumni themselves.

The dinner has evolved into a signature event, an important fundraiser and a social evening of note. There are four such dinners every spring, one hosted by each campus. “The dinners serve to connect employers with the employees they’ll need,” says Pam McLellan, director of Donor and Alumni Relations.

Preparation starts well before the event, with coordinators at the Office of Donor and Alumni Relations asking business and industry partners who have purchased tickets to identify program areas of interest. Coordinators then recruit students from those and similar programs to attend the dinner. As well as giving a nod to students who’ve benefited from awards and bursaries and industry donors who made it possible, the event showcases alumni and keynote speakers. The events grow in attendance every year, raising $250,000 to support student programs.

grow a future

Ryan Andrews, president of the Students’ Association, SIAST Palliser Campus, was instrumental in completing the protocol agreement between the student associations and SIAST to foster a transparent relationship.

A Human Resources program student, Ryan has advocated for SIAST students, addressing concerns about housing, parking and social issues. Ryan receives SIAST Palliser Campus’s Outstanding Citizenship Award.

Jamie Gondek took pleasure in assisting her classmates with the program. Her cohort of students was quite diverse, and she had respect for each one. Her enthusiasm created a positive environment in the classroom.

Jamie receives SIAST Woodland Campus’s Outstanding Citizenship Award.

Lisa Shirley, Youth Care Worker Diploma program, is a volunteer in the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada and the SIAST Students’ Association (Kelsey and Woodland Campuses). She has facilitated students’ access to tutors, financial resources and exercise facilities. A wife and mother, she also volunteers with youth in the community. Lisa receives an Outstanding Citizenship Award at SIAST Kelsey Campus.

•

start today!

All donations will be matched through the Saskatchewan Innovation and Opportunity program. So, even a modest donation can make a big difference to a SIAST student.

For additional information on the Growing Student Futures Fund, please contact: Tawnia Stephanson (306) 691-8226 (Moose Jaw) stephansont@siast.sk.ca

My gift amount: n $50

n $75

n $100

n $200

FUND

n YES! I want to grow futures for SIAST students! $_______________ (other)

Name: ____________________________________________________________ Company name (if applicable): ___________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City: ______________________________________ Province: ______________________________________ Postal code: __________________________

Phone: _____________________________________ Email: ____________________________________________________________________________

Name to appear on charitable receipt: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Payment method:

n Visa

n MasterCard

n Cash

n Cheque (make cheques payable to SIAST)

FUND

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Lise Schultz was one of the key organizers who helped bring the Canadian Nursing Student Association Annual Conference to Saskatoon. Through excellent planning, this became the largest student nursing conference ever held in Saskatchewan. Lise receives SIAST Kelsey Campus’s Outstanding Citizenship Award.

FUND FUND

FUND

FUND

Help a student

Roxanne Perrault is receiving SIAST’s Student Innovation Award thanks to her remarkable analysis of bacterial mechanisms of resistance. A Medical Laboratory Technology student at SIAST Kelsey Campus, she undertook the research as part of a paper for her applied investigation course.

FUND

Card number: ____________________________________________ Exp. date: ________/________ Security code: ________ (last three digits on back of card)

Name of cardholder: _____________________________________________ Signature of cardholder: _____________________________________________

n Please include me in SIAST’s donor recognition program n Please send me information about other ways I can support SIAST students n I am a SIAST grad. Please add me to your alumni database

n I would like to remain anonymous n Please send me information about how I can make a planned gift

SIAST ID or birth date: ______________________________________________________ SIAST campus: _________________________________________ Program: ___________________________________________________________________________ Year of graduation: ___________________________

Send to Barb Bissonnette, SIAST Admin, 400-119 4th Ave S., Saskatoon SK S7K 5X2

partners - spring / summer 2012 09

[ NEWS ]

SIAST makes great grads Jason Clapper Program: Integrated Resource Management, 2001 Position: Heavy equipment operator, Cameco I took a variety of courses through SIAST’s IRM. My favourite class was wildlife studies; I learned a lot of interesting things. More than that, I learned how to work on my own. That’s been pretty important to me.

I worked as an adventure guide for years, in Costa Rica and elsewhere, after I graduated. In the off season, I did a lot of surveying work, which was the result of a class I took in IRM. About three years ago I decided I didn’t want to spend the whole summer away from my kids – they are eight and 12 now – so I left guiding and took a heavy equipment course. Sponsored by the local Métis association, it was through SIAST, too. Now I am operating heavy equipment for Cameco at Key Lake and other sites. I have a strong interest in construction safety management, and – who knows? – I may be back to study at SIAST.

Rheann LaClare Program: Marketing, 1996; Business Administration, 1997 Position: Adjuster 2, Saskatchewan Government Insurance Rheann LaClare landed a job in a lawyer’s office after graduating from SIAST’s Business Administration program in 1997. (She’d graduated from Marketing the previous year.) She worked at the law office for a few months until the opportunity to join SGI as a clerk came along. LaClare says that her Business Administration background at SIAST prepared her well to capitalize on the possibilities at SGI. “I started as a clerk,” she says, “but there was so much opportunity, I’ve done pretty much everything at SGI. SIAST fast-tracked me into a rewarding career.” Since starting at SGI, she took coursework and completed accreditation in her field through the Insurance Institute of Canada. She notes that SIAST has recently started offering a Business Insurance course.

LaClare also calls on her SIAST marketing skills to promote her home-based, part-time graphic design business, myhmkeepsakes.com. She designs business cards and other small print jobs for various businesses. Now on maternity leave with her fourth child, LaCLare returns to SGI in the fall.

10 partners - www.goSIAST.com

Rheann LaClare

Greg Linka

Jess Rideout

Program: Electronic Systems Engineering Technology, 2012 Position: Precision land management specialist, Moody’s Equipment

Program: Biotechnology, 2010 Position: Research technician, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency

A few years ago, Greg Linka was in his rig at a truck stop in Des Moines, Iowa. He watched as another trucker, a man in his 60s, climbed out of a truck with difficulty and hobbled to a restaurant. “I saw myself in 20 years. I knew I needed a change and that education was the key to that,” he says. He started researching his options and came across SIAST’s ESET course. It fit his interests neatly: “I’ve always been a closet geek.”

Now an ESET grad, he works for Moody’s Equipment.

“I steer tractors from outer space,” he says. Using satellite technology and land management software, he ensures that farmers don’t overseed or skip rows. While each tractor still has an operator in the cab, the process is highly automated and designed to use farmland more efficiently. The ESET program opened doors for the 42-yearold Linka, who says that it’s never too late to review your options and make a change.

What surprised you most about your SIAST education?

How much work it was! They really pack a lot into two years.

Why did you make the switch from university?

I spent two years at university as a biology major.

I switched because I didn’t know what my career would entail. I went to SIAST to get more direct experience in a lab setting to make sure it was what I wanted to do. The coursework was very practical. I landed in a lab, already having knowledge and experience with the equipment.

What do you like about your current job at the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency?

I do a variety of things, from running tests to doing the ordering to mining the data. I knew early on I didn’t want repetitive work.

[ NEWS ]

The honour is ours Dallacye Taylor Program: Architecture and Building Technologies, 2005 Position: Certified engineering technologist, EllisDon Construction

Dallacye Taylor

What did SIAST bring that surprised you?

SIAST offered a more direct route to a good, wellpaid job. When I applied for my current job, I was up against someone with a master’s degree. They hired me specifically because of my practical experience … which basically meant I could walk into the lab and start working.

It was Dallacye Taylor’s father who pointed her to SIAST. She was considering studying architecture at a university out-of-province. “I don’t think he was quite ready to let me go,” she says with a laugh. Taylor registered in the Architecture and Building Technologies program at SIAST Palliser Campus. The program opened her eyes to the variety of jobs available in the field. Taylor completed three work terms at Stantec during her time at SIAST, graduating with in-the-field experience.

Today she works at construction giant EllisDon as a quality assurance representative. She travels from her home base in Calgary to destinations in Alberta and Saskatchewan, ensuring that the company’s sites comply with specifications and designs. “We do mostly commercial projects,” she says, “and there are some condo projects in Toronto.” Lately, Taylor has been working the construction of the new police station in Saskatoon.

EVERY year SIAST recognizes Saskatchewanians who have spent time, money and effort making their community better. They are the province’s community-builders, people who exemplify the high standards that SIAST espouses and endeavours to encourage in its students.

Wally and Colleen Mah, owners of North Ridge Development Corporation, collected honorary diplomas at the 2012 SIAST Kelsey Campus graduation ceremonies. North Ridge employs 165 people. The couple has made generous donations of time, expertise and money to a number of charities, including Habitat for Humanity, the United Way, the Saskatoon Community Foundation and the Salvation Army. They recently pledged a $200,000 endowment to the Royal Care Campaign at the Royal University Hospital in partnership with the Saskatoon Community Foundation to encourage doctors who are pursuing clinical work and research in Saskatoon.

Kerry Heid, SIAST alumnus and Magna Electric Corp. president and CEO, received a honorary diploma at SIAST Palliser Campus’s graduation this spring. Most of Magna’s 210 industrial electrical engineering technicians and journeymen electricians were educated at SIAST, and Magna donated $50,000 in equipment to the school.

Magna also supports annual student awards and cooperative education work terms.

Brian Stettner will be receiving a honorary diploma at the SIAST Wascana Campus graduation ceremony this June. He researched the best options for education and training for the steel sector before choosing SIAST. Knowing that Evraz, one of North America’s largest steel manufacturers, was undergoing a major technology upgrade, Brian connected the corporation with SIAST, which was able to offer employees skills training to help make the upgrade smoother.

Richard Ahenakew, general manager of the Northern Lights Casino, collects a honorary diploma from SIAST Woodland Campus this year.

He joined the casino in 1996 at an entry-level position, working his way up to management.

Ahenakew belongs to a number of committees and boards, and he’s an active member of both the Prince Albert and Saskatchewan chambers of commerce, serving as chair of the latter. Ahenakew holds a number of business management, executive and financial certificates.

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At locations across the province, the following certificate and diploma programs have seats available this fall. For more information, visit goSIAST.com and click on Choices for 2012.

Applied/Visual Media

Media Arts Production New Media Communications Website Design and Development

Business

Business Accountancy Business Administration Business certificate Business Financial Services Business Human Resources Business Insurance Business Information Systems Business Marketing Entrepreneurship and Small Business Office Education

Engineering Technology

CAD/CAM Engineering Technology Computer Engineering Technology Electrical Engineering Technology Electronic Systems Engineering Technology Engineering Design and Drafting Technology Environmental Engineering Technology Geomatics Engineering Technology Instrumentation Engineering Technology Mechanical Engineering Technology Mining Engineering Technology Water Resources Engineering Technology

Health Services

Continuing Care Assistant Health Information Management

Education and Early Learning Early Childhood Education Educational Assistant

Hospitality

Food and Nutrition Management Hotel and Restaurant Administration Professional Cooking

Human Services

Disability Support Worker Hairstylist

Industrial/Trades

Auto Body Technician Automotive Service Technician Carpentry Machine Shop Parts Management Technician Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Welding

Natural Resources

Forest Ecosystem Technology Geographic Information Science for Resource Management Integrated Resource Management Resource and Environmental Law

Science

Biotechnology Chemical Technology

Technology

Architectural and Building Technologies Architectural and Interior Technologies Building Systems Technician Computer Systems Technology Electronics Technician

Justice

Aboriginal Police Preparation facebook.com/SIAST

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