Sask Polytech and International Minerals Innovation Institute partner to co-ordinate training for minerals industry
November 17, 2014 – Today, Saskatchewan Polytechnic and International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) announced a partnership to launch the Centre for Minerals Innovation. IMII has provided $500,000 in initial funding to allow the centre to start operations.
“IMII is a unique partnership, providing leadership to inform, facilitate, co-ordinate, and financially support industry-driven skills and research capacity that will enhance the growth and global competitiveness of Saskatchewan’s minerals industry through collaboration,” said Engin Özberk, executive director & senior technical advisor at IMII. “What we are celebrating today, announcing the formation of the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Centre for Minerals Innovation, is one of the significant accomplishments of this collaborative effort.”
“The mining sector is a significant employer in our province, and one of Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s key stakeholders,” says Dr. Larry Rosia, Sask Polytech president and CEO. “The new Centre for Minerals Innovation will help ensure the sector has access to leading-edge educational services, when and where they’re needed.”
The new centre will help co-ordinate the ongoing training needs in the minerals industry. It will collaborate with industry partners and other Saskatchewan educational institutions to respond to their needs and strategic goals in providing accessible training and a high quality workforce.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic serves 26,000 distinct students through applied learning opportunities at campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon, and through extensive distance education opportunities. Programs serve every economic and public service sector. As a polytechnic, the organization provides the depth of learning appropriate to employer and student need, including certificate, diploma and degree programs, and apprenticeship training. Saskatchewan Polytechnic engages in applied research, drawing on faculty expertise to support innovation by employers, and providing students the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills.
International Minerals Innovation Institute, a unique industry–government–education and research institutions partnership jointly funded by industry and government, is a catalyst to developing industry-driven education and training programs to address labour force needs in the sector and conducts industry-driven research and development to address workplace health and safety, environmental sustainability, social license, policy research, exploration, mining, processing and economics of commodities to ensure the continued growth of the industry.
IMII’s current activities and future plans are being driven by industry priorities. Through the Board of Directors and separate panels for both Education and Training (E&T Panel) and Research and Development (R&D Panel), collaboration occurs amongst industry, government and education and research institutions to clearly define the need, solution, implementation plan and outcomes together.
For more information, contact:
Adam Lehmann, Saskatchewan Polytechnic Communications and Marketing
[email protected]
306-691-8513 (office)
306-630-9968 (cell)
Marylou Langridge, Accounting & Communications Coordinator
[email protected]
(306) 668-2070 (office)
Information about Saskatchewan Polytechnic can be found at www.saskpolytech.ca.
Click here for pdf version of the news release.
