Grand opening for Southern Alberta Collegiate Institute’s dedicated space

Students in Grades 7-9 can enrol in the E3 program (Explore, Engage, Experience), which is meant to introduce them to some of the available career options and understand how their interests can connect to future career pathways.

“Students get an opportunity to try things like wiring a lightbulb or creating a Bluetooth speaker or putting fluids and checking tire pressure, or things like that,” says Kupery.

Those in Grades 10-12 can earn dual credits for their high school and Lethbridge Polytechnic, with learning experiences connected to real workplaces and industries.

“It’s a career pathway, so they get to start wide and broad and then they kind of narrow down their scope based on what they love doing,” he explains. “They get to try everything. Everything we do here in this building is experiential, so they come here to work, put their hands on things, and they learn through doing.”

That hands-on experience was vital for Grade 12 student Cyra Graf.

She is wrapping up her third year in the dual credit program this spring, as SACI was previously located in existing Polytechnic classrooms.

Graf came into the program with an interest and experience in auto mechanics and parts, and says SACI helped to solidify her passion.

“This course was really good at introducing you into the actual real-life expectations of it and how to properly compete and properly go along with all of these things. I thought it was pretty good that way. It did give me a good basic understanding of where to go for now,” says Graf.

For those who are unsure of their career direction, Graf explains that it is great that students get to experience many different pathways, and not only discover what they like and what they are good at, but perhaps what they are not.

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Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf says it was great to return to his alma mater and learn about how it has evolved to support students in new ways.

Neudorf completed the Polytechnic’s carpentry program and worked in the trades for several years before transitioning to politics.

“To see the facilities now – the technology, the equipment – it’s light years ahead of where we were, but it’s still the basic, hands-on experience that so many of us need to get a job, to get a really good-paying job. It can just open the door to so many pathways.”

The best part of SACI, says Kupery, is that it is free to attend.

“We believe strongly, as I’ve said earlier, in making this accessible to all students, and therefore, we want to remove all barriers,” says Kupery. “Oftentimes, transportation costs [are] a barrier, so we provide transportation as much as we can. We provide this course for free, thanks to the funding we receive from Alberta Education and the partner school divisions.”

Participants go to their regular high school on Mondays to Thursdays, and SACI for the full day on Fridays.

At first, Kupery says missing an entire day of class every week was a “major concern” for the partnering school divisions, but they quickly realized that it was for the best.

“What’s happened is, students begin to find their passion and grow their confidence, like you saw in our opening, so they’re actually better students Monday to Thursday, and it’s had an improvement in marks.”

SACI is open to students in the Lethbridge School Division, Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, Palliser School Division, Horizon School Division, Westwind School Division, Livingstone-Range School Division, and Grassland Public Schools.

More information is at SouthernAlbertaCollegiateInstitute.ca

Southern Alberta Collegiate Institute. (Image Credit: Lethbridge News Now)

by David Opinko

Grand opening for Southern Alberta Collegiate Institute’s dedicated space

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