Government investment creates 134 new apprenticeship seats at SAIT

  • 17 February 2023
Heather Magotiaux, SAIT Vice President, External Relations, and Kaycee Madu, Minister of Skilled Trades and Professions, talk with SAIT apprentices.

SAIT is set to receive a more than $900,000 investment from the Government of Alberta to support apprenticeship education through the creation of 134 new seats across eight programs for the skilled trades.

In an announcement made Friday, Feb. 17 at SAIT, Kaycee Madu, Minister of Skilled Trades and Professions, emphasized the importance of apprenticeship education and the role it plays to fulfill Alberta’s demand for career-ready talent.

In a news release following the announcement, the Alberta government pointed to the invaluable experience students receive learning directly through instruction and mentorship from industry professionals. Seats will be offered in the 2022/23 academic year and designated to trades in industries ranging from cooking to heavy equipment technicians.

“SAIT is a proud partner in building Alberta’s skilled workforce through world-class apprentice education and pre-apprenticeship training in more than 30 different trades,” says Dr. David Ross, SAIT President and CEO “As a leading Alberta polytechnic, SAIT is committed to advancing careers that make critical contributions to communities across the province and to our economy.”

Heather Magotiaux, SAIT Vice President, External Relations, Kaycee Madu, Minister of Skilled Trades and Professions, Government of Alberta, Pat Robson, Instructor, School of Transportation, SAIT, and Mike Hughes, Interim Academic Chair, School of Transportation, SAIT pose with SAIT apprentices.
Left to right: Pat Robson, Instructor, School of Transportation, SAIT, Andrew Burton, Apprentice, Nico Hiller, Apprentice, Kaycee Madu, Minister of Skilled Trades and Professions, Government of Alberta, Heather Magotiaux, Vice President, External Relations, SAIT, Harmon Dhillon, Apprentice, Trinity Duperon, Apprentice and Mike Hughes, Interim Academic Chair, School of Transportation, SAIT.

During the announcement, Mike Hughes, a SAIT alumnus, shared his views on the value of a SAIT education. Hughes graduated from SAIT in 2013 from the Diesel Equipment Technician program, and once more in 2015 through an apprenticeship in the Heavy Equipment Technician program. He worked in industry until 2021 when he started teaching a Women in Trades program and then moved into a full-time instructor role. Hughes is now Interim Academic Chair in the School of Transportation.

Mike Hughes speaks during the announcement
Mike Hughes, Interim Academic Chair, School of Transportation, SAIT, speaks during the announcement.

“As a proud alumnus, I have experienced first hand the world-class and relevant applied education provided by SAIT, says Hughes. “That commitment to my future set me up with the knowledge, confidence and skills I needed to be successful long-term. This investment from the Government of Alberta to create additional apprenticeship seats will enable SAIT to prepare even more students for careers that are vital to our economy.”

The Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act oversees apprenticeship education in 47 designated trades delivered by Alberta post-secondary institutions.

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