Boeing invests $17 million into SIIT’s aerospace training program

Boeing announced a partnership with the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies on Wednesday that will inject $17 million into the aerospace training program in Saskatoon.

SIIT president and CEO Riel Bellegarde said it’s important to have Indigenous people in the aviation industry.

“Canada’s economy (and) the Saskatchewan economy needs Indigenous individuals in the workforce,” said Bellegarde. “There’s a significant demand for people in the aviation industry.”

The $17-million investment allows SIIT to grow and expand its aviation learning centre.

“We can build an avionics lab so we continue to grow and expand our offering to meet the needs of industry,” Bellegarde said. “It’s actually going to double the size of our aviation learning centre.”

Recently, Boeing sold a P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine warfare aircraft to Canada. The investment Wednesday is the first from Boeing into a Canadian institute since that aircraft was purchased.

Pierre Ruel, the interim managing director of Boeing Canada, said it was an easy choice to pick SIIT.

“We believe in SIIT. We know it’s a blue chip,” said Ruel.

Ruel said there are multiple reasons as to why it’s important to have Indigenous people in the aviation industry.

“It’s an investment in those people who will be skilled (and) who will also become ambassadors within their community,” Ruel said.

As for the aviation industry, Ruel said it continues to grow.

“The number of commercial airline planes that’s going to be flying around the world in 20 years from now is going to be double what we have right now,” said Ruel.

The increase in demand has also brought a long a need for more employees. Ruel said he hopes more people continue to enter the aviation field.

“It’s such a rewarding career,” said Ruel. “Whether you’re in the air, on the ground or in the support role, you always learn something every day.”