May 17, 2010, Calgary, Alberta – Demographics are changing in Canada’s printing industry and SAIT Polytechnic student Justine Bratberg is proof of it.

In an occupational field that is 74 per cent male, Bratberg was one of two competitors – both women – in the Provincial Skills Canada Competition for printing held at SAIT Polytechnic on May 12.

Bratberg, a second-year student in Digital Graphics Communications, earned the gold medal as well as the competition’s safety award. Angeliza Vargas of Edmonton’s NorQuest College placed a close second.

Sylvie Cloutier of the Canadian Printing Industries Sector Council (CPISC) was thrilled to learn of Bratberg’s win. “Another young woman - that's great news!”

Bratberg now advances to the Canadian Skills Competition in Kitchener-Waterloo, May 20-23, where Cloutier says three of the five competitors will be women. The winner from that event will be eligible to compete at WorldSkills London 2011 in England.

A streaming video feed connected the activity in the SAIT pressroom to Northlands Park in Edmonton where other events in the 18th Provincial Skills Canada Competition were being held.

Judging the competition in Calgary were industry experts from Oil City Press, Rhino Print Solutions and Trigger Communications.

According to CPISC, the printing industry in Canada has more than 25,000 establishments and employs 274,000 people.

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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