The Weyburn Oil Show Board donated $5,000 to the Southeast College Education Foundation on December 3 to give youth the opportunity to participate in safety training programs in the oil and gas industry.
Since 1996, the Early Safety Training Program has provided affordable basic safety training to young people between the ages of 16 and 21 in southeast Saskatchewan. The program emphasizes safe living and working practices, supporting youth working in all sectors including oil and gas, hospitality, tourism, agriculture and construction. Essentially, youth who successfully complete four safety courses within one year are eligible for a bursary of up to $200 from the Early Safety Training Fund.
The Early Safety Training Fund is supported 100 percent by fundraising events such as the annual Early Safety Training Golf Tournament, and donations from local companies and organizations such as the one recently received from the Weyburn Oil Show Board.This Fund is administered by the Southeast College Education Foundation and the program is overseen by a Steering Committee of representatives from industry, education, and government.In the past year, the program has awarded 39 youth with bursaries totalling nearly $7,000.
Early Safety Training courses are offered at various Southeast Regional College and Saskatchewan Energy Training Institute campuses during special training weeks throughout the year. These training weeks are conveniently scheduled during school breaks like those experienced during Easter and/or spring.
Some schools, such as Assiniboia Composite High School, have integrated the Early Safety Training program into their curriculum. The goal of the steering committee is to have safety training integrated into all Saskatchewan high schools.
