PCS supports college

Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (PotashCorp) presented a cheque for $1.225 million on Thursday, July 4 in support of Parkland College's Trades and Technology Centre. The gift is the culmination of a matching grant announcement that kicked off the college's capital campaign just over a year ago.

"At PotashCorp, a skilled labour force is key to a sustainable future," said Mark Fracchia, Vice-President of Safety, Health and Environment at PotashCorp. "For Saskatchewan, and companies like ours, we know that sustained growth will depend on young people who want to build careers and futures in this region."

The purpose of the Trades and Technology Centre is to help sustain the economic growth of East Central Saskatchewan. After careful consideration and thorough studies, Parkland College decided to undertake its first ever major capital campaign. The gift from PotashCorp was the first of its kind, and the largest of its kind, ever given to the college.

"I can't overstate how crucial this gift is to the success of our campaign," said Parkland College President Dr. Fay Myers. "PotashCorp came forward at a critical time and spurred on the development of this project. This leadership has been instrumental in generating support from throughout the region and across the province."

On June 20, 2012, PotashCorp announced that it would match community and industry contributions to a maximum of $1.225 million. The matching gifts, along with a generous land donation from the City of Yorkton, provided encouragement to other donors, who rapidly put their support behind the campaign. Contributions so far total over $2.5 million.

This spring, the Government of Saskatchewan included funding for the Trades and Technology Centre in its 2013 budget and is now encouraging Parkland College to move quickly in construction. Sod turning will take place later this fall, with an opening date target of September 2015.

The Trades and Technology Centre will bring a significant expansion of services and program delivery options to the Parkland region that are not currently available. The facility will have enough space to train more than 350 skilled graduates per year, and also upgrade the skills of 2,000 workers annually.

"Colleges build communities, and communities build colleges," Dr. Myers added. "This building will help create a stronger Saskatchewan and bring new opportunities to the people of the Parkland region."