UPGRADES APPROVED FOR SIAST CAMPUSES

Released on November 15, 2005

The Government of Saskatchewan has approved $5.5 million for an expansion of the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) Kelsey Campus in Saskatoon and a redevelopment project at SIAST Palliser Campus in Moose Jaw.

"Saskatchewan's economy is growing at a rate that it may soon outpace our ability to supply it with skilled labour," Learning Minister Andrew Thomson said. "We heard this in the Centennial Summit earlier this year and more recently, in the Training System Review. This expansion to SIAST will help us meet the needs of the labour market, and ensure that Saskatchewan citizens have the skills they need to take advantage of the opportunities provided by our economic growth."

The capital improvements to SIAST Kelsey Campus include:

•construction of new Industrial Mechanics, Plumbing, and multi-purpose shops;

•a new cold storage facility; and,

•renovations to the Power Engineering, Process Operator and CAD/CAM training areas.

The capital improvements to SIAST Palliser Campus include:

•construction of an electronics lab and machine shop and associated classrooms in support of the delivery of the Instrumental Engineering Technology program; and,

•reconfiguration of a number of offices and classrooms to allow for a more efficient use of space.

The SIAST Kelsey Campus addition will add approximately 2,230 square metres to the training space; the approximate cost of the project is $4.25 million. The SIAST Palliser Campus upgrade will cost approximately $1.25 million. SIAST will fund the total cost of these two projects from its operating surplus. With this capital expansion, SIAST will be able to add up to 500 new training opportunities for plumbers, mechanics, industrial mechanics and instrumentation engineers over the 2006-07 fiscal year.

"By being flexible and innovative, we have ensured that Saskatchewan gets an excellent return on its skills training investment in SIAST," SIAST president and CEO Bob McCulloch said. "This expansion and redevelopment will allow us to respond even more aggressively to ongoing diversification of the economy, the need for more specialized education and increased demand for skilled tradespeople."

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For More Information, Contact:

Nelson Wagner Learning Regina Phone: (306) 787-6040