Humboldt Collegiate Institute student, Mason Waldbillig receives his SYA Industry Scholarship (submitted photo/Mason Waldbillig)

By Ben Tompkins

SASK YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP INDUSTRY SCHOLARSHIPS

Multiple Northeast students receive SYA Industry Scholarships

Jun 21, 2024 | 11:37 AM

Over 100 high school students from across the province have received Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) Industry Scholarships, courtesy of the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission.

A handful of these students are in the Northeast, including a pair of friends from Humboldt Collegiate Institute.

Mason Waldbillig hopes to be an Automotive Service Technician or Welder, while Emmanuel King is looking at becoming a journeyman carpenter.

“I was very surprised and grateful to receive the scholarship,” King told northeastNOW. “I did apply for the scholarship and I believe I got nominated as well. I then found out that my buddy (Mason) and I won it, so that was a big surprise. The scholarship is $1,000, so that will definitely help with my education and I’m grateful for that. It will help me get my journeyman.”

King is currently working for Trakk Builders in Humboldt, as a construction worker.

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He said he grew up around the trades because of his family, who built a lot of houses.

“I’ve just always taken an interest in the trades and really enjoyed shop classes and things like that,” explained King.

King’s plan is to attend Sask Polytechnic in Saskatoon, next March, to take a carpentry class.

He is currently in Grade 12 but is just days away from graduating.

“I’ve been able to do school and my apprenticeship because I only had two classes this semester. Once I was done those in the morning, the rest of the day I could be out working and gaining hours, so it’s been a nice balance of school and gaining experience for work,” King added.

“I’m really enjoying my apprenticeship so far, really liking construction especially, so I just hope to continue on this path and get my journeyman.”

Other North East students include:

• Paige Shaw from Bruno School who is interested in becoming a construction electrician
• Riley Krubis from L.P Miller Comprehensive School in Nipawin who is interested in becoming a heavy duty equipment technician
• Jake Bracken from Hudson Bay Community School who is interested in becoming an industrial mechanic (Millwright)
• Rylan MacGillivray from Kinistino Public School who is interested in becoming a plumber or welder
• Nathan Carroll from Muenster School who is interested in becoming a heavy duty equipment technician
• Jeremy Konchakowski from Porcupine Plain Comprehensive School who is interested in becoming a welder
• Oliver Muir from Rose Valley School who is interested in becoming an agricultural equipment technician

SYA Champions – the educators who oversee the SYA program in their schools – nominate students enrolled in the program who plan to pursue careers in the skilled trades.

A selection committee of SATCC staff members chooses the winners based on students’ responses in the nomination form.

Students outline how SYA has benefitted them; their current experiences with the skilled trades; and their education and career plans following graduation.

Students can redeem their scholarships within two years of graduation by registering as an apprentice in Saskatchewan and completing Level 1 technical training or by completing a recognized pre-employment program in a trade designated in Saskatchewan.

To complete SYA, students work through 12 challenges – everything from interviewing a journeyperson to researching and writing a report on a designated trade to outlining the steps to journeyperson certification.

All students who complete SYA and register as apprentices in Saskatchewan within five years receive 300 trade hours, plus the waiver of their apprenticeship registration fee and Level 1 technical training tuition.

The SYA Industry Scholarship program launched 15 years ago in 2009. Since then, more than 1,300 scholarships have been issued.

Sixty industry sponsors, including employers, industry associations and unions, as well as the Government of Saskatchewan, have invested $1.2 million total into the SYA Industry Scholarship fund.

There are currently more than 3,200 students registered in the SYA program across the province.

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news@northeastnow.com

On X @BenTompkins_8