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Electrical industry leaders meet local college students

Students engaged in the Level 1 electrical training course at the Saskatchewan Energy Training Institute (SETI) – Southeast College campus in Estevan, played host to some electrical energy partners on Jan. 13.
SETI Students
Students in the Southeast College Level I electrical course are, from the left: Dalton Morrisey, Austin Sastaunik, Kerri Rieger, Jody Seeman, Chris Cobb, Travis Corbin and Ryan Fogarty. Missing from the phto is Nick Hagel.

Students engaged in the Level 1 electrical training course at the Saskatchewan Energy Training Institute (SETI) – Southeast College campus in Estevan, played host to some electrical energy partners on Jan. 13. 

The course instructor, Brian Johnson, welcomed the guests, explaining how the 20-week course is an excellent pre-employment training regime scaled to encompass such things as electrical code, electrical circuits and other key elements of the electrical trade based on the same criteria as required by Saskatchewan Polytechnic schools. 

“There is lab work involved and at the end of each unit, the students take a test that requires a 60 per cent success level in order to pass on to the next level,” Johnson said. 

Sheena Onrait, spokeswoman for Southeast College said the campus in Estevan is currently offering the Level II course as well, the only one in the province that is offered outside the provincial polytechnic schools. 

There are eight students enrolled in the Level I course and 12 are registered in the Level II program for construction electricity, “just down the hall here,” said Onrait. 

Johnson said the students he is instructing will be writing their exams on Feb. 11.

“At that point they can seek employment as an apprentice electrician with invaluable skills to take to the workplace. These people have made their choice for a profession, they’ve displayed a lot of interest, attendance has been strong. They’ll be prepared to start a career,” Johnson said, adding that “if the challenge for a company is to find a new, good employee, we’ll have them here.” 

During introductions, it was pointed out some of the Level I students had decided to make weekly drives from Regina and White City just to take the Estevan classes, which demonstrates their level of commitment. 

Mike Messer of Cenovus Energy and Trevor Dutka of Tarpon Energy Services, introduced themselves and pointed to some of the expectations they would have of future employees. 

Aubrey Agarand of the City of Estevan was also in attendance to review the program from the public works perspective. 

The students, Dalton Morrisey, Austin Sastaunik, Kerri Rieger, Jody Seeman, Chris Cobb, Travis Corbin, Ryan Fogarty and Nick Hagel visited with the energy representatives and college administrators during a luncheon break provided by the college and Johnson showed the visitors some of the hands-on work that had been completed by the students while outlining some of the additional skills they had acquired during the first half of the course.