There are over 750 municipalities in Saskatchewan, and they each require an administrator to do the work, which is becoming more skilled every day.

After Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association members noticed it was becoming difficult to hire and retain competent administrators, the organization made an investment in Saskatchewan Polytechnic to create a new business course. SUMA President Randy Goulden says the course will be available in the second year of the Business diploma program, and enrollment for the new addition can begin in fall of 2024.

She says students will learn skills such as accounting, financial reporting, project and risk management, and interpersonal skills needed to deal with community members, councils, and other orders of government.

However, the new classes aren’t the only initiative coming out of SUMA’s $250,000 investment. Goulden adds that SUMA has also initiated a scholarship for students in the new course that honours the life of former SUMA CEO, Laurent Mougeot.

The course was designed by Sask Polytech and SUMA, along with SARM members, the Urban Municipal Administrators Association of Saskatchewan, and the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators.