(Photo: Provincial Minister Warren Kaeding, summer students Breanna Tremblay (second from left) and Shauna Prevost (second from right) and then the gentleman on the right edge of the photo is SRC President and CEO Mike Crabtree/ provided by SRC)
The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) officially launched its Indigenous Workforce Program and celebrated the inaugural cohort of students in the re-envisioned Indigenous Summer Student Program, Kiskiyihta (Kiskee ih-tahh). Kiskiyihta is a Cree word meaning to learn or to know.
SRC’s Indigenous Action Plan launched earlier this year and aims to increase the recruitment and retention of Indigenous employees at SRC.
Kiskiyihta will provide Indigenous students studying at a Saskatchewan post-secondary institution with hands-on learning in a research and technology environment.
“Kiskiyihta means to learn or to grow, and that’s really the focus of that (program) is to take great indigenous individuals who have tremendous talents and to be able to encourage and augment those talents, and they’re such a tremendous bunch of folks,” said Mike Crabtree, President and CEO of SRC. “And we’re really looking forward to expanding this program in the coming years.”
This year’s cohort of Indigenous students has already been selected and is already in their new positions.
“SRC is about delivering real, tangible, pragmatic benefits and results within the Indigenous Action Plan. And we see nothing, nothing better than being able to take these students through this (program), through this mentorship program, and then be able to subsequently offer high-value employment to them and to others from Indigenous communities,” explained Crabtree.
SRC launched the Indigenous Action Plan in January 2025, which centres on Indigenous peoples, communities, and businesses to help achieve shared goals. The plan was built to align with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) Call to Action 92. SRC created four integral pillars: employment, leadership, Indigenous community relationships, and business development.
This new plan is to show a commitment to working with Indigenous communities and leadership in the spirit of reconciliation.
SRC is Canada’s second-largest research and technology company, employing over 350 people, generating $83 million in revenue annually, and having over 77 years of RD&D expertise. It has 1,400 clients in 22 countries worldwide.
To learn more about Saskatchewan Research Council’s Indigenous Action Plan and the Indigenous Workforce Program visit the SRC website.