Education: Southeastern Alberta Partners for Youth Career Development (SAYD)

The Southeastern Alberta Partners for Youth Career Development (SAYD) offers training and career development programs leading to journeyman and technical certification. About 60 Medicine Hat-area companies are involved with SAYD activities, and Canadian Fertilizers Limited, CF Industries’ nitrogen manufacturing joint venture in the community, plays a major role.

Interested young people are recruited into apprenticeship training at one of the SAYD organizations. The students can choose from a variety of trade apprenticeships or technical fields, including pipefitting, heavy-duty mechanics, automotive technicians, carpentry, welding, or oilfield production operations. While SAYD companies can’t guarantee a student a job following journeyman certification or internship, each student receives valuable training to help launch a career in a trade.

Younger students are recruited as early as grade 10 and attend apprentice training part-time and school part-time for three years. Students who have already graduated from high school and successfully complete their four-year apprenticeship at a SAYD company receive journeyman certification in their chosen trades.

Approximately 100 young people receive apprenticeship and career training at SAYD partner organizations each year. The Medicine Hat complex trains apprentices each year and also provides leadership and organization for the SAYD program.