WHITEHORSE – Dr. Shawkat Shareef is worried about Fort McMurray. The city of over 60,000 people in northern Alberta draws workers for its lucrative oil and gas projects from all over the world. It is a multi-cultural city, yet efforts by local government and resource companies to advocate a more inclusive and socially sustainable community could be undermined by the sheer number of single, wealthy, transient young men who live and work there.

Shareef is a developmental sociologist who has moved to Whitehorse with his family to teach at Yukon College after 12 years at the University of Alberta. In 2012, he spent 10 months living and working in Fort McMurray, and is alarmed by what he saw in what has been described as Canada’s manliest city.

“There is an unabated flow of cash. An open display of wealth by the young men of this city breeds a kind of arrogant, hostile masculinity, because they don’t have to depend on anyone else for anything,” said Shareef.

WHITEHORSE – Yukon College, Volunteer Bénévoles Yukon and Yukon Work InfoNET (YuWIN) are presenting an Education, Career and Volunteer Expo on Thursday October 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Yukon College Gym at Ayamdigut campus.

The expo offers students and city residents an opportunity to connect with Yukon employers, explore education options, and seek out meaningful volunteer positions.  Representatives from over 45 companies, professional associations, non-profit groups and post-secondary educational institutions will be on hand to connect with people at the event.

For Trina Nerysoo, a second-year Business Administration student, this event comes at exactly the right time.

“I want to transfer into the third year of a bachelor of commerce program after I finish my diploma. I’m looking forward to meeting some potential schools in person at the Expo to learn more about them and what they offer,” said Nerysoo.

WHITEHORSE – Dr. Deborah Bartlette has been named as Vice President Academic and Student Services at Yukon College. Bartlette has been the Dean of Applied Arts at the College since 2010.

The Geldart Group, a company specialising in the recruitment of senior executives in post-secondary education, spoke to over 400 people across Canada and brought forward seven candidates to be interviewed for the position.

“It says a lot about the calibre of our staff, that an internal candidate won out over some very strong competition,” said Dr. Karen Barnes, President of Yukon College. “Dr. Bartlette is dedicated to our students and passionate about the Yukon. She will provide strong academic leadership at the College as we develop our own degree programs and as we implement the new strategic plan.”

WHITEHORSE - Northern Impressions, an exhibit of 11 photographs by Atlin-based artist Manu Keggenhoff opens on Thursday October 3 at the Hilltop Bistro at Yukon College. The opening is from 4.30 p.m. until 6.30 p.m. with Keggenhoff in attendance.

The exhibit is a collection of Keggenhoff’s favourite black and white photography and includes a mix of long exposures and wildlife images.
“I spend a lot of time taking very colourful, vibrant and busy images. The stark, simple black and white images in this exhibit are what I need at other times to rest my eyes and my mind, to focus on a single point in a spare landscape,” said Keggenhoff.

PELLY CROSSING - Ten Selkirk FN citizens were declared “trailblazers” last night by Chief Kevin McGinty after successfully completing the Heavy Equipment Operator Essential Skills program at the Hets’ edän kú’ campus of Yukon College in Pelly Crossing.

Rolland Gunter, Allen Joe, Darrin Johnnie, Amy Johnny, Katherine Musick, Amanda Sam, Kelly Silas, Lazareth Simon and Nathan Roberts, and Robin Sam were each honored with speeches, gifts and applause at a graduation ceremony attended by over 80 people at the town’s community centre.

The three women and seven men have spent the past month learning how to operate caterpillar haul trucks and other large machines on a simulator and through hands on training as part of the Pelly Construction haul crew at Minto Mine.

WHITEHORSE – Yukon College is pleased to announce John Wright as the interim coordinator of the Yukon Native Teacher Education Program (YNTEP). Wright has long supported the program and brings over 40 years’ experience as an educator, including 16 years as Principal of Elijah Smith Elementary School, to this role.

“I am very familiar with the Yukon Native Teacher Education program. Many YNTEP students have taken their practicums at Elijah Smith Elementary over the years, and close to 20 graduates were hired as teachers during my time both there and at Whitehorse Elementary before that,” said Wright. “YNTEP produces strong teachers who are culturally sensitive to the unique challenges of teaching in Yukon.”

Yukon mines are one step closer to improving their operation efficiency with an innovative water treatment technology. Researchers at the Yukon Research Centre (YRC) are developing this new technology that can be utilized locally and globally with the potential of commercialization.

This project is one of six research commercialization projects that have received support from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and Economic Development, Yukon government, through Cold Climate Innovation (CCI) and Technology Innovation of the Yukon Research Centre.

CanNor and Economic Development are together investing over $380,000 with an additional $254,000 from proponents for a total of over $635,000 towards research commercialization.

WHITEHORSE – Matching funds from Yukon Energy Corporation and the federal government will allow the Northern Climate ExChange (NCE) of the Yukon Research Centre to continue its research investigating the implications of climate change on hydro generation at the Whitehorse dam.

Yukon Energy and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada have each contributed $385,000 to allow the Northern Climate ExChange to build upon preliminary research already conducted with the energy corporation. Technical and other support will be provided by the Yukon Geological Survey and Environment Yukon’s Water Resources Branch.

“This project aims to improve our understanding and preparedness for the impacts of climate change in northern Canada, which is of vital importance to Yukon’s prosperity,” said Lacia Kinnear, Manager, Northern Climate ExChange.

WHITEHORSE - Yukon College launched a re-designed website homepage today. It features a simplified, cleaner look that provides more information at-a-glance, with improved main navigation menus floating over an archival image from the College’s 50-year history. 

“The new design ensures that current and future students are only one click away from the information that matters most to them,” said Director of College Relations Jacqueline Bedard.

This new look is backed up with improved site-wide navigation and a new programs page with groupings aimed at providing future students with clear pathways into College programs.

WHITEHORSE - With the support of Cold Climate Innovation and Government of Yukon’s Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Northwestel has completed the photovoltaic array that will power the Engineer Creek microwave site in the Yukon for
the next twelve months.

Construction of the pilot project began in July as part of an energy feasibility study between Northwestel, Cold Climate Innovation of the Yukon Research Centre at Yukon College and the Energy Solutions Centre of the Government of Yukon’s Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. After the installation and significant testing, the solar cells are now self-reliant as the diesel engines were shut off and placed on reserve use for winter.

“The site has been working perfectly since we turned off the diesel engines,” said Northwestel Infrastructure Planning Manager Barry Sugden. “In the few weeks that the 15 kW array has been powering the site, there have been no issues.”