A message from the Promising Futures™ Campaign Chair

I wish I had a crystal ball to predict Alberta's economic future. While the world economy continues to keep us guessing, one thing is for certain: no matter what happens to the business cycle, the current generation of skilled workers will retire and industry will need new people to replace the baby boomers leaving the workforce.

SAIT Polytechnic is preparing to meet this impending labour crisis by building the largest expansion in its history - the new Trades and Technology Complex. The new education facilities will accomodate up to 8,100 additional full and part-time students each year. That will mean SAIT will prepare more highly skilled graduates to enter the workforce to fuel industries that keep Alberta's and Canada's economy healthy.

So far, our Campaign has concentrated on bricks and motar. However, as you well know, there's more to education than having great new buildings. It's important for SAIT to educate all students with the latest tools and technology; to ensure instructors have resources to continue to develop first-class curriculum; and to increase the number of scholarships and bursaries to reward academic achievement and help remove students' financial barriers so they can focus on their studies.

As responsible business leaders we need to prepare for the future. We cannot risk getting caught in a labour crisis. Together we can help SAIT continue to meet our community's need for quality skilled graduates, now and for the future.