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Southern Alberta Institute of Technology facts for kids

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Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)
SAIT curly logo.png
Motto Incipio Et Erudio
Motto in English
I Take In Hand And Educate
Type Public
Established 1916
President David Ross
Academic staff
1,269
Administrative staff
1,054
Students 14,364
Other students
3,955 apprenticeships, 20,822 corporate training, continuing education, camps and other courses, 2,001 Open Studies and upgrading programs
Location , ,
Colours Athletics: Red, White.          
Institute: Red, White, Blue.               
Athletics Trojans
Affiliations CCAA, AACTI, Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference, CBIE, CUP, Polytechnics Canada

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) is a polytechnic institute in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. SAIT offers more than 110 career programs in technology, trades and business. Established in 1916, it is Calgary's second oldest post-secondary institution and Canada's first publicly funded technical institute.

Campus location and expansion

SAIT's main campus is located on 16 Avenue NW, overlooking the downtown core of Calgary and is served by the CTrain light rail system. SAIT has three other campuses located in Calgary:

  • Mayland Heights – Located on Centre Avenue, this facility supports students pursuing a career in auto body, crane and hoisting, recreation vehicle servicing, electrical, plumbing and rail.
  • Culinary Campus – Located on Stephen Avenue, it provides baking basics and cooking fundamentals. The Culinary Campus also acts as a marketplace, selling food to the general public.
  • Art Smith Aero Centre – Occupying 17 acres of land at the Calgary International Airport, this campus supports the School of Transportation.
  • Crane and Ironworker Facility – Located at 10490 72 St SE, this 2,812 m² facility has a fully functioning crane maintenance shop, a yard with boom trucks and mobile cranes and crane simulators.
  • The Tastemarket by SAIT – Located at 444 7 Ave SW, The Tastemarket is a downtown urban eatery and learning environment.
SAIT campus viewed from the south field. Senator Patrick Burns building on the right, Heritage Hall centre, and Campus Centre left.

Academics

SAIT offers three baccalaureate degrees (2019), three applied degrees, 86 diploma and certificate programs, 27 apprenticeship trades and more than 1,100 continuing education, corporate training, camps and other open registration courses. SAIT delivers skill-oriented education through nine schools:

  • MacPhail School of Energy
  • School of Business
  • School of Construction
  • School of Health and Public Safety
  • School of Hospitality and Tourism
  • School of Information and Communications Technologies
  • School of Manufacturing and Automation
  • School of Transportation
  • School for Advanced Digital Technology

English language foundations and academic upgrading are offered through the Lamb Learner Success Centre. SAIT's Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) department works in partnership with industry on applied research.

Scholarships and bursaries

Through the generous support of donors, SAIT offers over $5 million in awards to students in almost every program. Awards are available to all qualifying SAIT students in recognition of academic success, financial need, community involvement and other areas of success and support.

Facilities

Heritage Hall

Heritage Hall
The entrance and facade to Heritage Hall
Former names Heart Building
Alternative names Heritage Hall - Southern Alberta Institute of Technology National Historic Site of Canada
General information
Status Used as a post-secondary educational building
Type Educational building
Architectural style Collegiate Gothic style
Address 1301 16th Avenue North West
Town or city Calgary, Alberta
Country Canada
Current tenants Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Construction started January 18, 1921 (1921-01-18)
Completed 1922
Cost CA$174,200 (equivalent to $2,466,672 in 2021)
Dimensions
Other dimensions 340 feet (100 m) across x 90 feet (27 m) deep
Design and construction
Architect Richard P. Blakey
Main contractor J. McDiarmid Company
Official name: Heritage Hall - Southern Alberta Institute of Technology National Historic Site of Canada
Designated: June 24, 1987
Official name: Heritage Hall of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Designated: May 31, 1985

Heritage Hall is one of the central buildings and a historical site on the SAIT campus.

Construction began on Heritage Hall on January 18, 1921, five years after the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) was formed in Calgary in 1916. Designed by Alberta provincial architect Richard Palin Blakey and built by J. McDiarmid Company of Winnipeg, the three-story modern structure's focal point is the central entrance flanked by two large towers designed with the characteristics of Collegiate Gothic architecture, which was prevalent throughout North America at the time. Despite the prevalence of Collegiate Gothic architecture in post-secondary education, Heritage Hall is the only example in Calgary. Heritage Hall would be completed later in 1922 and would accommodate both the PITA and the Calgary Normal School. During the Second World War, the structure was used as a wireless training school for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The structure was intentionally situated on Calgary's North Hill to maximize the structures visibility throughout Calgary, and also provide a view of the city from the building. The building was originally known as the "Provincial Institute of Technology Building and Normal School" and was renamed "Heritage Hall" in 1985.

On May 31, 1985, the Government of Alberta designated Heritage Hall a Provincial Historic Resource under the Historical Resources Act. The citation for the historical designation notes the integral role the structure and SAIT played in the development of post-secondary education in Alberta, and the significant architectural value of the Collegiate Gothic design.

On June 24, 1987, the Government of Canada designated Heritage Hall a National Historic Site under the name "Heritage Hall - Southern Alberta Institute of Technology National Historic Site of Canada". The federal designation notes the importance of the structure and SAIT as a place in the development of vocational education in Western Canada. The designation only references the footprint of Heritage Hall and not the entire SAIT campus.

Residence

SAIT Residence has two modern high rises located in the northeast corner of its main campus.

Campus Centre

The Campus Centre contains a coffee house, bar, Jugo Juice, gymnasium, fitness centre, squash courts, bowling alley, hockey arena, salt water pool and theatre.

Clayton Carroll Automotive Centre 1
Clayton Carroll Automotive Centre at SAIT

Stan Grad Centre

This central building on SAIT's main campus houses food service outlets, study areas, classrooms, the campus bookstore and the library.

Additional buildings on campus

  • Clayton Carroll Automotive Centre
  • Aldred Centre
  • John Ware building
  • E.H. Crandell building
  • Cenovus Energy Centre
  • Johnson-Cobbe Energy Centre
  • Senator Burns building
  • Eugene Coste building
  • Thomas Riley building

Athletics

SAIT has been a member of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference since 1964. The SAIT Trojans are represented basketball, curling, soccer, cross country running, hockey and volleyball. All of SAIT's sports teams share the name Trojans.

Recognition

In 2021, SAIT’s School of Business was one of three Canadian schools to make the top 100 of CEOWORLD Magazine’s Best Business Schools in the World for 2021, SAIT ranked #52 overall.

In 2021, CEOWORLD Magazine recognized SAIT as the number one hospitality school in Canada on its list of the world’s Best Hospitality and Hotel Management Schools, ranking #19 overall. CEOWORLD also ranked the School of Hospitality and Tourism as Canada’s number one culinary school in its inaugural ranking of the Best Culinary Schools in Canada.

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