Agreement to help develop Aboriginal workforce for mines

Parkland College has signed two agreements that will help prepare students to work in Saskatchewan’s mining industry. Parkland College will join forces with Carlton Trail College and International Minerals Innovation Institute on multi-year projects, which will include developing an Aboriginal workforce for the mines and processing facilities. The first project funded by IMII is an Introduction to Mining course, which will train students for a number of specific entry-level positions while preparing them for further education in occupations related to the minerals industry. Parkland College will also deliver a training course designed for electricians. Funding from IMII will bring SIAST’s Electrician Applied Certificate Enhanced program to the college’s industrial campus in Esterhazy. These agreements are among eight projects being rolled out by IMII with a focus on safety, environment, and developing specialized training for the mining industry. IMII is providing over $822,000 in funding for this pair of education and training projects.