Mario Deschambeault and many future SIIT students are going to benefit greatly from an agreement between the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT). They just signed their first-ever agreement that will lead to more Aboriginal students holding university business degrees.  

Deschambeault is in the second year of his Business Administration Program. The partnership agreement means that Deschambeault graduates in spring from SIIT’s two-year Business Diploma program, he will qualify as having completed the first two years required for the four-year U of S Bachelor of Commerce degree offered through Edwards. Traditionally, this was not the case. SIIT students interested in the BComm program would not have been able to count all of their previous credits towards the degree. 

Mario Deschambeault

"This has a huge impact on us and allows us to stay in Saskatchewan," said Deschambeault of the agreement. "I am absolutely going to the University of Saskatchewan to finish my degree."

"We are committed to creating new opportunities for educational achievement of Aboriginal students," said Edwards' Dean Daphne Taras. "This agreement establishes a clean and clear route from SIIT to the Edwards School that will develop the next generation of Aboriginal business leaders. We know there is appetite for this route and we look forward to welcoming SIIT graduates into our program."

While the U of S holds transfer agreements with other institutions, this is a first-time partnership between Edwards and SIIT.  

"Today marks the beginning of a new partnership between the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies and the Edwards School of Business," said Kim Fraser-Saddleback, vice-president, Academics and Student Services at SIIT. "This partnership will provide an opportunity for SIIT business diploma graduates to continue on a pathway towards completion of a degree at Edwards, while staying closer to home."

A number of specialty program streams within the transfer agreement are still being worked out, though students can begin transferring as of the signing of this agreement.

In the meantime, Deschambeault intends to get his degree and eventually work in business and maybe become an accountant or an auditor. 

"I'm pretty hopeful about the future of Saskatchewan right now. There are lots of job opportunities around and the transferability of my course gives it more credibility and is exciting."