CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIES FOR WOMEN COURSE IN MOOSE JAW

Eleven young women at Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw are learning that their career opportunities are not going to be limited to those roles and careers traditionally open to women, thanks to their participation in the Construction Technologies for Women program.

"This program is not only about providing young women with the opportunity to experience career options in the trades," Community Resources and Employment Minister Glenn Hagel said, on behalf of Crown Investments Corporation Minister Maynard Sonntag. "It is about developing careers for youth who want good jobs and want to stay in the province. These are areas where Saskatchewan business are looking for skilled workers."

SaskPower has supported the Construction Technologies for Women program in the past three years it has been offered. This year's support of approximately $2,000 meant the students and their instructor could have a full complement of safety gear including steel-toed boots, work coveralls, hard hat, gloves and safety goggles – keeping with SaskPower's corporate mandate to promote safety both on the job and across the province.

In the school's Industrial Arts centre, program coordinator Mae Farrer put the students through their paces, as they worked on their class project and talked about their dreams for the future with visiting dignitaries. This year Farrer's students have learned the basics of wiring and plumbing, travelled to SIAST Palliser campus for a week-long course on welding and will finish a group project before the end of June. In addition to learning about construction technologies, the students also take required classes such as English, math, and history.

As part of the program, the students have also visited SaskPower's Poplar River Power Station in Coronach and will travel to SaskPower's Transmission and Distribution training facilities in Weyburn. For more information on programs and courses for women in trades and technology (WITT), contact the SIAST WITT facilitator at 798-7614.

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For More Information, Contact:

Larry Christie SaskPower Regina Phone: (306)566-3167