Catalyzing success with the power of applied learning
The rich learning opportunities offered at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology include hands-on training in the form of capstone projects, apprenticeship programs and other work-integrated learning options. supplied
When a local brewery encountered difficulties with filling craft beer into cans, a partner known for technical expertise and innovation came to mind: the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). There, a group of students in the mechanical engineering technology program got to work on designing a solution for automating the canning process.
The effort was one of SAIT’s capstone projects, where students apply skills gained in their studies to help industry partners with challenges. “Microbreweries are often small operations with limited R&D capacity,” says Jim Szautner, dean, School of Manufacturing and Automation and School of Transportation, SAIT. “This brewery came to us when the canning process became too manually intensive for their staff to handle.”
The students worked on automating the process with attention to filling the product to the appropriate level without excessive spillage as well as installing a visual system to ensure no damaged cans would move into the machine and potentially clog the mechanism.
“The learning that happens in these projects is very rich. Students working on capstone projects then get a chance to present their solutions to industry and the public at our capstone showcases,” says Mr. Szautner. “We’ve seen employers become interested in hiring the students, because they’ve seen them in action and know that they’re very good.”
This success benefits both students and industry – and builds on SAIT’s long track record of delivering quality education, especially in the fields of trades and technology. “SAIT was founded in 1916,” he says, “and technology is not only in our name – it’s in our DNA.”
In the beginning, a motorcycle and a tractor were part of the founding pieces of equipment and programming was focused on motor mechanics and metalworking. “This was considered high-tech and very much in demand,” says Mr. Szautner. “Fast-forward 106 years later, and we still deliver on our mandate of meeting the needs of industry. What we’ve discovered is that technology is now ingrained in every business and every aspect of day-to-day life.”
The ubiquity of technology calls for various levels of digital literacy in the workforce, no matter the industry or sector, he explains. “Someone working in manufacturing today, for example, needs to know about computer programming to operate a CNC machine.”
Advancing technology integration requires a certain skill set, Mr. Szautner proposes. “The notion of being a lifelong learner – and having the ability to continue to grow and develop – is something everyone needs to embrace. We also have to put emphasis on the ‘soft skills’ that complement technical skills.”
These skills include communication, collaboration and critical thinking, he says. “People are inundated with information – and need to evaluate this information to make wise, evidence-based decisions. And finally, people need to be creative so they can become innovators.”
All these areas can be strengthened through “the power of applied learning,” says Mr. Szautner. “Our students gain tactile experience with technology. Capstone projects, for example, require a sophisticated level of teamwork, where students organize areas of responsibility and assign tasks. Developing such skills pays dividends as they go forward in their careers.”
“The notion of being a lifelong learner – and having the ability to continue to grow and develop – is something everyone needs to embrace. We also have to put emphasis on the ‘soft skills’ that complement technical skills.
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Beyond capstone projects, SAIT offers a range of work-integrated learning opportunities, among which the traditional apprenticeship programs stand out as “the gold standard,” he says. “In these programs, most students spend 10 months per year working and two months in school. This gives them the opportunity to really hone their craft.”
Trades backgrounds are highly valued in today’s labour market, says Mr. Szautner, who regards his own Red Seal truck and transport technician certification as a “gateway to a wealth of opportunities.”
The combination of technical skills and applied learning can serve graduates well in work environments shaped by “increasing levels of automation, use of smart tools and sensors, and integration of digital technology in virtually every business,” he says, adding that close connection to industry partners helps SAIT stay abreast of these changes.
“However, we’ve also seen the relationship between post-secondary education and industry evolve over the past decade,” Mr. Szautner says. “In the past, we would go to industry to ask what skills are needed and design our courses accordingly. Now, industry partners come to us to ask, ‘What do our people need to learn to be successful in the future?’”
Such a question cannot be answered by a single entity – it requires a collective response, he notes. “This has opened the door to greater collaboration between industry and post-secondary education: we are now engaged in different conversations and thought leadership exercises to help define what the path forward could and should look like.”
To explore career options and upskill/reskill opportunities, please visit sait.ca/learnbetter.
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