Power engineering courses to be offered by Sask Distance Learning, part of trades push

Brian Zinchuk

Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online

As part of a series of trades-based education announcements, the Government of Saskatchewan announced on Aug. 26 a new online course for power engineering.

Starting this fall, Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre (Sask DLC) will partner with SaskPower to provide high school students and adults online 4th- and 5th-class Power Engineering courses.

The following day, a similar announcement was made for distance learning regarding tourism. Regina Building and Trades Centre and Saskatoon Building and Trades Centre also received $1.92 million in funding.

This comes on the heels of a June announcement of Oil and Gas 20 and 30 distance learning classes. (Pipeline Online, with assistance of others, has submitted a suggested curriculum outline for that class to the Ministry of Education)

“Sask DLC courses offer students the chance to explore future careers in our province while earning high school credits,” Minister Responsible for Sask DLC Jeremy Cockrill said. “Sask DLC is proud to partner with SaskPower to continue to offer these unique opportunities and the 4th-class high school program is the only one of its kind in Canada.”

“Power Engineers are vital for the operation of our provincial power grid, as well as other heavy industries that keep our province’s economy growing,” Minister Responsible for SaskPower Dustin Duncan said.

Within Sask DLC’s 5th-class program, students take two online courses within the same school year. These courses provide an introduction to power engineering including boiler operations and maintenance. Each course includes a 50-hour work study allowing students to obtain the steam time requirements for their certification. Fifth-class courses are ideal for students wishing for an introduction to the career. Students who complete their 5th-class are also eligible to upgrade to their 4th-class certification by taking an additional two upgrade courses.

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Through the 4th-class program students take a total of four online classes that each include 50 hours of online theory and 50 hours of work study time, providing practical experience and preparing them for industry exams. This program is ideal for students interested in pursuing power engineering as a career after high school and upon completion students are eligible to be employed as a 4th-class engineer.

These courses have been offered in Saskatchewan high schools since 2014, and have been administered by Sask DLC since its inception in 2023. The programs are accredited by the Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan (TSASK).

A new Memorandum of Understanding between Sask DLC and SaskPower will see the Crown power utility coordinate and promote student steam lab time and scholarship opportunities for continued education and advancement in the field. SaskPower also provides students with hands-on experience at its portable steam lab.

“We are pleased to support this program, which will help to engage and develop Saskatchewan students into future leaders in the electricity industry and beyond,” SaskPower President and CEO Rupen Pandya said.

“Industry support for work experience programs like power engineering are key to providing students with meaningful experience and insight to possible career paths, allowing them to make informed decisions about their future,” Sask DLC CEO Darren Gasper said.

To date, 327 Saskatchewan students have completed the 4th-class, and 141 have completed the 5th-class power engineering program.

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