A one-time jewelry designer who contemplated a career in professional cooking, Chris Driedger traded art studios and working kitchens for a career in information technology.
Driedger is passionate about the field, which he describes as “modern-day magic” for how raw materials come together to make for computer networks, TV streaming services and the ability to make a video call from around the world.
The SAIT alum, who earned his diploma in Information Technology in 2012, returned to the institution as an instructor in 2016.
While in the industry, Driedger worked for a small third-party IT support company, followed by a security guard organization that serviced most of southern Alberta and a stint working for the City of Red Deer.
At SAIT, he teaches students about data centre infrastructure and cloud computing — what it takes to run applications to make it look to the user like everything is functioning smoothly, even when it’s not.
Awards and achievements:
- Two-time winner of the Saitsa Instructor Excellence award, 2017 and 2019
In my free time: "I love to cook."
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SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.