Saskatchewan Polytechnic (formerly the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and TechnologyorSIAST/ˈsaɪ.æst/) is Saskatchewan's primary public post-secondary institution for technical education and skills training, recognized nationally and internationally for its expertise and innovation. Through program and course registrations, Saskatchewan Polytechnic serves 26,000 distinct students with programs that touch every sector of the economy. It operates campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon; and provides a number of courses and programs through distance education.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic offers over 150 programs in applied/visual media, aviation, basic education, business, community/human services, engineering technology, health services, hospitality/food services, industrial/trades, natural resources, nursing, technology, recreation and tourism, and science. In addition, Saskatchewan Polytechnic provides training to apprentices in several trades.
Located at Idylwyld Drive North and 33rd Street East (southeast corner) in Saskatoon, the campus is named for Henry Kelsey, a famous fur trader and explorer. The institute in Saskatoon dates back to 1941 when The Canadian Vocational Training School was established to train veterans returning from the war.[3] The campus contains over 13 acres (5.3 ha) of instructional floor space.[3]
The four schools that make up Saskatchewan Polytechnic started off as four individual schools. The Moose Jaw campus started off as the Saskatchewan Technical Institute in 1959. Saskatoon began as the Central Saskatchewan Technical Institute in 1963. Regina began as the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences in 1972. Prince Albert began as the Northern Institute of Technology in 1986. On January 1, 1988, The Institute Act and the Regional Colleges Act amalgamated Saskatchewan's technical institutes, urban community colleges and the Advanced Technology Training Centre to form the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST).[7] The institution was named Saskatchewan Polytechnic on September 24, 2014.[7][8]
