The Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) has received a $30,000 donation from Contractor Connection and SGI Canada to improve infrastructure and to support students with licensing, safety and technical training.
Contractor Connection Canada partnered with SGI to give back to the community. Together, they brainstormed and came up with the idea to help people by providing technology to students in the trades and paving the way for the future of the construction workers.
“We truly believe this donation today is just the start of such a powerful relationship and partnership to organizations rooted in beliefs like giving back, helping develop others, and building a more sustainable future for all,” said Cortney Young, vice-president of Contractor Connection.
SGI president and CEO Penny McCune says it’s important for people in Saskatchewan who are taking up the trades as it benefits the province.
With this donation, McCune said it will help the institute and all the communities around the province.
“This donation is just an example of some of the supports and strategies that we have in place to be diverse and inclusive as a company,” said McCune.
“Investing in Indigenous programs is important to Saskatchewan and (it’s) something at SGI Canada we really want to prioritize.”
The first SIIT Career Centre opened in Regina where its success in helping First Nations job seekers gain employment. Now, SIIT has grown since.
SIIT vice-president of employment development and career services, Lisa Shingoose, said the donation will grow all nine SIIT Career Centre locations across Saskatchewan.
“Our partners, Contractor Connections and SGI, we’re extremely grateful for the gift of $30,000 that will be used among the nine career centres to upgrade our technological infrastructure at each site,” said Shingoose.
“Access to technology and supporting infrastructure is extremely critical to the career centre success.”
Shingoose said through their technology, job seekers can obtain safety tickets, complete resumes, compete for positions posted online and access the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission online registration.
Over the last year, Shingoose said the career centres collectively worked with about 4,200 job seekers and helped to put them on pathways that help them become labour-ready for industry partners. As a result of that work, the career centre successfully placed about 2,300 people into jobs with their industry partners.