About 200 graduates packed into Prairieland Park in Saskatoon on Thursday afternoon for the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies convocation ceremonies.
Graduates in such programs as business administration, childcare and carpentry accepted their diplomas and will soon head out into the workforce.
Chief Darcy Bear of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation, who was one of the keynote speakers, says the graduates should be proud that they have completed their education and can now become part of Saskatchewan’s growing economy.
“And if you look at the demographics across Canada, we have an aging population, all the baby boomers are retiring and there is going to be lots of opportunities, lots of demand for skilled human resources,” he says. “And this is why you are getting your education, to be part of that opportunity, to be part of the Saskatchewan advantage.”
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nation Vice-Chief Simon Bird, who was also one of the featured speakers, says Indigenous leaders have long fought for investments in education and today’s graduates are seeing the benefits of this.
“Our leadership that is out there, you should be very proud because we are developing a workforce,” he says. “And that’s something that our leadership up here is constantly saying. We are talking about this education boom, this economic boom, well this is our answer right here.”
Other keynote speakers at the graduation ceremony included Saskatchewan Minister of Advanced Education Don Morgan and Legislative Secretary for First Nations Engagement Rob Norris.
SIIT has about 2,200 students enrolled in various programs across the province.