Wednesday, February 17, 2010, Calgary, Alberta – More than 300 young Aboriginals will be at SAIT Polytechnic today to take part in an education symposium that is tailored toward encouraging Aboriginal youth to finish high school then go on to take post-secondary education.  The youth are coming from Aboriginal communities throughout southern Alberta to take part in the one-day event.

“The high school dropout rate of Aboriginal youth is extremely high,” says Jennifer Russell, Project Coordinator, Chinook Lodge Aboriginal Resource Centre. “The Aboriginal Student Symposium connects high school students with educational institutions and industry partners in order to motivate them to complete high school and continue their education.”

Statistics show that educational attainment among young Aboriginal adults remains well below the levels achieved by their non-Aboriginal peers.

“We are trying to identify some of the barriers that Aboriginal students face when accessing educational opportunities,” says Russell. “This symposium showcases the opportunities available to Aboriginal youth if they complete high school and go on to a post-secondary education. It also exposes them to the resources available at Chinook Lodge Aboriginal Resource Centre once they are enrolled at SAIT.”

Calgary corporations and educational institutions will be on-hand to provide information to the youth on the programs and services that meet the needs of the Aboriginal students. The youth will also receive guidance on career opportunities from more than 40 companies on hand at the Talisman Energy sponsored event.

SAIT Polytechnic is one of Canada’s most exciting destinations for post-secondary education, offering more than 100 career programs that position people for success in technology, trades and business. A leader in innovation, SAIT also collaborates with industry on applied research and delivers corporate training worldwide. SAIT is a member of Polytechnics Canada and one of Alberta’s Top 50 Employers for 2011.

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