Fund raising is the goal and a major sponsor has come forward to help out.
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (PotashCorp) has announced it will match community and industry contributions to the Parkland College Trades and Technology Centre capital campaign to a maximum of $1.225 million. The expansion at Parkland College in Yorkton is necessary to sustain the rapid economic growth of East Central Saskatchewan says College CEO Dr. Fay Myers.
"At PotashCorp, we understand that a skilled labour force is key to a sustainable future," comments Lee Knafelc, Vice-President of Human Resources and Administration at PotashCorp. "For communities across Saskatchewan, and companies like ours, a new generation of skilled talent will be needed to fuel growth and prosperity."
Parkland College is in the midst of its first ever major capital campaign. This gift represents the first of its kind, and the largest of its kind, ever given to Parkland College.
The state of the art Trades and Technology Centre will house training space and classrooms that will allow the College to produce more than 350 skilled graduates per year, and also upgrade the skills of 2,000 workers annually. This project represents a significant expansion of services and program delivery options that are not currently available in the Parkland region.
"This important gift comes at a critical time in the development of the Trades and Technology Centre, and provides the college and the region with significant momentum. We are grateful to PotashCorp for its vision, encouragement, and leadership," says Myers.
"We know the demand for skilled tradespeople and technicians is expected to remain high in this province for a long time. We have a lot of support from the communities and industry partners in our region. They're telling us this needs to happen. And a commitment like this from PotashCorp will go a long way to making it a reality."
The Trades and Technology Centre will help deliver on the vision of a stronger Saskatchewan and bring new opportunities to the Parkland Region. Investments in the project will provide the necessary resources to sustain economic, social, and cultural growth.
"Our strength as a province and a region has always been our people," Myers explains. "Building a community where families are confident their children can receive a good education is vital to attracting and keeping our greatest asset."
