About a dozen students are enrolled at Parkland College in Fort Qu'Appelle in a pilot program designed to train them for a career in the burgeoning telecommunications industry. The Telecommunications Technician Program is a 15-week course that provides basic practical training to help the students prepare for work in the sector.
With technology rapidly advancing, the telecommunications industry must grow to keep pace. As a result, skilled technicians will be in demand so that telecommunications companies can build faster and more sophisticated global communication networks.
"Electronics is in everything. This program gives the students an understanding of what's involved," said instructor Eugene Fedorowich. "We're using a wide range of test equipment - digital volt meters, oscilloscopes, function generators, power supplies, analog meters - to give them a good grasp on the equipment they'll use in the industry."
The program will be followed by an eight-week work placement with the College's project partners, SaskTel, Ledcor Group, and ATI. The goal is to lead the students to employment as they build off a comprehensive base of knowledge in electronics.
Fedorowich said the students may begin a career in several areas within the industry, such as network technicians, fibre optic installers, and high-speed equipment technicians. There are also niches in the automotive and farm equipment industries, both of which are becoming increasingly reliant on sophisticated electronics and computer systems.
"There's a huge need and demand for a comprehensive electronics course that can be adapted to the present day," Fedorowich added. "I think Parkland College is uniquely positioned to provide this training."
About Parkland College:
Since its inception in 1973, Parkland College has worked to expand the philosophy of life-long learning in East Central Saskatchewan. Among the seven basic principles upon which the community college system was founded is the idea that programs are to be developed in response to the needs of the community. Today, Parkland College offers a broad spectrum of educational services from trades training and high school upgrading to the province's most diverse off-campus university offerings.
