Southwest Students Receive Trades Scholarships

One hundred high school students who will be graduating this year from across the province received Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) Industry scholarships. 

Of the 100 students, ten hail from the southwest, including Jacksyn Schultz, who attends the Swift Current Comprehensive High School. She will be attending the Elite Hairstyling and Esthetics Training Centre in Moose Jaw and taking their hairstyling program later this year in September. 

"I've been working towards this probably since Grade 9,” she said. “I've been competing in the provincial competitions for hairstyling, and it's just kind of the icing on the cake that all of the hard work I've put in has paid off, and it's going to go towards what I've wanted to do for a long time." 

Those who received the scholarships will receive $1,000. If SYA graduates register as apprentices within five years of graduation, their apprenticeship registration fee is waived, their Level 1 technical training tuition is waived, and they receive 300 trade time hours.   

To redeem the $1,000, students must demonstrate they’re actively pursuing a career in the skilled trades within two years of graduation – either by completing a pre-employment program or by registering as an apprentice in Saskatchewan and completing Level 1 technical training. 

"I think it will be a huge help," Schultz said. "When I get out into the real world, I'm not having the help of my parents anymore and not have those expenses laying on my shoulder and not worrying me a little bit." 

Schultz said that when it was announced that she had won a scholarship, it was rewarding and surprising. 

"I tried really hard to do everything I could to be able to get it. I was excited and a little bit surprised and it was kind of a cool experience to be able to go up there and get that."