Cold Lake gets kudos from educators

Kay Cashman

Petroleum News

Educational requirements at Cold Lake vary for each position: a grade 12 or general equivalency diploma at a minimum; advanced professional degrees and experience at the other end of the scale.

Operator Imperial Oil supports recruitment and development programs that enable people to meet its employment requirements and business needs, including in-house training, mentoring and job rotation for skill development, along with networking programs “to help employees maximize their potential and enhance their job satisfaction.” Imperial also touts its indigenous people workforce recruitment and development, with its aboriginal employment at 40, per its website.

Formed in 1991 to support, mentor and empower women entering non-traditional careers - an effort Gates was involved with - the Women in Wage Network has more than 40 members in Cold Lake operations.

Furthermore, the company looked to future recruitment, offering scholarships, internships and registered apprentice programs.

Providing opportunities for students that helped them make connections between what they were learning in the classroom and careers they may want to pursue earned Imperial the Alberta School Boards Association 2016 Friends of Education Award.

Cold Lake operations were nominated to the school boards group by Lakeland Catholic Schools Board of Trustees.

Amanda Wildman, communications officer for the district, touted Cold lake’s initiatives in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an interview with PN on March 28.

Gates accepted the award on behalf of Imperial, a reflection on her involvement in district educational programs.