Syncrude wants to boost interest among high school students in pursuing a trade as a career by funding a Skills Canada initiative for the next three years.
Skills Canada Alberta will receive a total of $100,000 for each of the next three years to hold competitions and promote the potential of a career in the trades across Alberta high schools.
“We had supported Skills Canada Alberta on a year-by-year basis for the past two years and have been very impressed with their work,” said Jim Richards, Syncrude’s Vice President, Maintenance. “They have been hugely successful in engaging high school students. They hosted more than 28,000 students at their various events in 2014.”
The funding will support the organization’s Skills in the Classroom initiative, which changes the way students, teachers and parents think about the trades as a career path.
Youth can benefit from careers in Alberta’s robust economy when they are provided with the right combination of inspiration, information and opportunity.
Chris browton
Executive Director, Skills Canada Alberta
“This partnership with Syncrude allows us to support students as they turn their interests into in-demand and valued careers.”
Skills Canada holds competitions for students in 45 trade and technology areas that connect students to local post-secondary and industry leaders. By applying their skills outside the traditional classroom setting, students learn where their skills can take them and are encouraged to reach for their personal best.
Syncrude is the operator of the Syncrude Project, a Joint Venture undertaking among Canadian Oil Sands Limited, Imperial Oil Resources, Mocal Energy Limited, Murphy Oil Company Ltd., Nexen Oil Sands Partnership, Sinopec Oil Sands Partnership and Suncor Energy Ventures Partnership.
