Uranium mining company Cameco and Saskatoon Public Schools have teamed up as part of a new project with the goal of getting more students interested in careers in math and science.
The Cameco Centre of Excellence in Science and Mathematics officially opened at Bedford Road Collegiate Friday morning.
The centre has been made possible through a close to $600,000 donation from Cameco.
Cameco CEO Tim Gitzel says engineering and technical trades play an important role in the uranium mining industry and the company believes it must do its part to help young people get interested in these jobs.
“We really need kids to look at the science and math areas,” he says. “We see shortages in engineering and geology and, in our business, radiation protection, hydrogeology – things like that – and in all of those the common element is they have a basis in science and math.”
Curtis Clements is a teacher at Bedford Road Collegiate.
He says the centre offers students the type of hands-on experience that will help get them interested in pursuing careers in math and science.
“The equipment that we’ve got so far is equipment in neumatics, electronics, we’ve got some 3-D printing technology, electrical control, we’re playing with micro controllers, as well, and a few other pieces of equipment,” he says.
Matthew Dunn is the Indigenous Peoples Initiatives Coordinator at the University of Saskatchewan.
He says there is currently about three per cent of students in the engineering faculty that self identify as Aboriginal and the U of S would like to double this number in the next four years.
Dunn says there are various reasons why more Indigenous students are not pursuing their studies in math and science.
“It can be tough if you’re coming from a rural or remote community, coming to Saskatoon and going to university there can be difficulties with that,” he says. “You might miss your family, your home community, and so you have to deal with that in addition to getting through the engineering program.”
The centre is open to all students within the school division.
A classroom at Bedford Road Collegiate was renovated to house the advanced technology used in the program.
The initial course being offered at the centre this school year is Pre-Engineering 10.
Pre-Engineering 20 will be added next year and Pre-Engineering 30 in 2016/2017.