It’s not every day that kids get to walk in their parent’s shoes, or work boots. However, it happens every November as Syncrude proudly participates in the annual Take Our Kids to Work (TOKTW) day.
On November 14, Syncrude employees donning their coveralls, safety vests, laboratory jackets and even an Emergency Services uniform, gathered to pick up their Grade 9 students to experience a day in the life at site.
Close to 70 students from seven schools in the Wood Buffalo region participated in this year’s event at our Mildred Lake and Aurora sites. The group received a warm welcome from Steve Yatauro, Senior Vice President, Production, Tracy Bourassa, TOKTW Coordinator, Rob Harrison, Site Training Services Team Leader, and Ken Bell, Manager, Tailings & Lease Development.
Human Resources Advisor Kimball Tagg had the opportunity to participate in the event for the third time with daughter Chloe.
For most kids, it’s like your parents go into a black void every day, they don’t really understand where we go or what we do all day.
Kimball tagg
“This event really helps to shine a light on that.”
Chloe is a Grade 9 student at École McTavish in Fort McMurray who says the day was informative.
“I couldn’t believe how big it is out here. It looks like a whole different city,” she says. “It was a good perspective to see things I like and don’t like for a career.”
Meanwhile, Mark Osmond, a Syncrude Heavy Equipment Operator in Dewatering, was happy to spend the day with daughter Ocean, as was she.
“I’m excited to see everything out here and what my dad and other people do,” says Ocean, a student at Father Mercredi High School. “The day gave me different ideas to think about for a career.”
For Wassi, a student at École McTavish, it was a surreal experience to be back at Mildred Lake, as his first time visiting was an overnight stay at camp during the 2016 wildfire evacuation. His father Mujtaba Hashmi, Senior Associate Engineer, was happy for the opportunity to bring him back.
“It was a really cool visit, seeing how big the mine is and some of the really big machines out there. Way bigger than I thought,” says Wassi.
The Take Our Kids to Work Program takes place across Canada in November each year, and is open to Grade 9 students and their parents/guardians.
