The profession of geoscientists and engineers is reflected in work conducted in the agriculture, construction, environment, forestry, mining, and health care industries, among many others, and is vital for Saskatchewan’s economic prosperity and public wellbeing. That from Stormy Holmes, the Executive Director of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan.

To recognize and acknowledge the work that engineers and geoscientists do in every sector of the province, the week of February 26th to March 4th is declared as Engineering and Geoscientist Week by the provincial government.

She says as part the celebratory week, there will be an award show and banquet to highlight several individuals and groups that accomplished great things this year.

Some of the awards being handed out at the Delta Downtown tomorrow are going to an engineer who has worked for over 40 years, a team that has been cleaning 37 old uranium mine sites, and a team that decommissioned the shafts for Mosaics K1 and K2 potash mines.

Holmes adds that the week helps to raise awareness on how crucial engineers and geoscientists are to the province and helps to recruit new minds to the industry.

She says that there has been a decline in university students entering engineering programs. She thinks the decrease will soon start to reflect in the industry, and initiatives should be taken in order to bring industry involvement back to previous levels.