Orano is making an investment to help increase the number of women working in their northern Saskatchewan operations and their company as a whole.
The uranium company announced a $1 million donation to Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Women in Trades and Technology (WITT) program in Saskatoon on Tuesday morning.
The donation will be rolled out over the next 10 years and the program will be re-branded as WITT Empowered by Orano.
“We pride ourselves in being an equal opportunity employer,” said Orano President and CEO Jim Corman at an event celebrating the donation. “Orano is committed to hiring more women at our McClean Lake operation, ensuring pay equity and advancing women to more senior and supervisory positions.
Orano employs around 420 people in the province with 300 of those employees working at the McClean Lake operation.
In addition to committing to hiring more women at the northern mine site, Orano says it is their goal to increase the number of women in senior roles in the company by 10 per cent over the next few years.
They feel this investment will help them meet those goals.
The donation was welcomed by Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
“Thank you to Orano for your generous gift,” said Dr. Larry Rosia, President and CEO of Saskatchewan Polytechnic. “This contribution will enrich the awareness of training and career opportunities in trades and technology for women in Saskatchewan.”
The financial gift also includes an annual scholarship to be given to an exceptional female student enrolled in a trades and technical program at SaskPolytech.
The WITT program has been offered at the school since 1991.
(PHOTO: Orano CEO and President Jim Corman presents Saskatchewan Polytechnic with a $1 million cheque for the Women in Trades and Technology program. Photo by Joel Willick.)