Sask. high school course designed to increase supply of workers to run power grid

The growing need for power also means a growing need for workers to run the increasingly complex grid.

Officials hope an expandedhigh school power engineeringcourse will help to fill that need.

"There is demand. There are thousands of jobs available in the province right now, whether that's powerengineering or elsewhere. This is about saying, 'Hey, we have a labour market need here.'" Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said at a news conference outside theQueen Elizabeth Power Station in Saskatoon Monday morning.

The power engineering course was offered as a partnership between SaskPower and Saskatchewan's Distance Learning Centre.

More than 300 students completed at least one of the courses, and offeringswill expandthis year. A mobile trailer will help students across the province get a hands-on education.

"I don't know, just going to the plants and meeting people in the communityseems like a lot of fun," recent coursegraduateJana Erickson said.

"It's a really good program. I love it,"

After she completes her bible college studies, Erickson said she's considering power engineering as a career.