SASKATOON, SK – October 10, 2019: The International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) is very pleased to announce the first ever winners of the iMpowered Scholarship Program.
The iMpowered Scholarship is part of a $510,000 commitment from the IMII, on behalf of its mineral industry members – BHP, Cameco, K+S Potash Canada, Mosaic and Nutrien, and Innovation Saskatchewan, to new scholarships to help build a diverse, inclusive and qualified workforce for Saskatchewan’s minerals industry.
The two winners are:
- Corine Strube, a mature Métis woman whom has returned to school to improve her career opportunities, enrolled in the Chemical Technology Program in the School of Mines, Energy and Manufacturing at Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Saskatoon campus; and
- Mulaina Boissoneau, a young Indigenous woman, enrolled in the College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan.
“The purpose of the iMpowered scholarship is to support women and Indigenous students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science post-secondary education programs of relevance to Saskatchewan’s minerals industry, complete their education and enter careers in mining,” says Al Shpyth, IMII’s Executive Director. “These two women are being recognized for their different academic achievements and their interest in a career in the minerals industry.”
“Congratulations to the first recipients of the iMpowered Scholarship Program,” Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Tina Beaudry-Mellor said. “Our government understands the importance of ensuring students receive the training required to prepare them for jobs in our economy. This scholarship program will help more women and Indigenous students access training opportunities to meet the needs of our mining sector.”
The minerals industry employs a wide range of occupations and is one of the province’s leading employers of highly skilled and educationally advanced workers. A majority of mining’s workforce has either an apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma (20%), a college or polytechnic certificate or diploma (23%), or a university diploma or degree (22%).
IMII made a $1 million commitment in 2017 to a Diversity & Inclusion Challenge program to advance pilot and demonstration projects and increase the numbers of women and Indigenous people in Saskatchewan’s minerals industry. In 2019, it has made a further $1 million commitment through scholarship and internship programs over five years to provide new opportunities for women, Indigenous and other students to succeed in post-secondary education and become the highly qualified people the industry requires.
For more information:
Al Shpyth, Executive Director, IMII
Phone: (306) 668-2057
IMII:
International Minerals Innovation Institute is a unique innovation supporting network of mining companies, government departments and agencies, and post-secondary and research institutions, jointly funded by industry and government. It exists to deliver innovations that matter to mining in Saskatchewan.
