Instead of training high school students for an industry that the world is transitioning away from, we need education on energy alternatives and ways of addressing climate change impacts.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe recently announced new oil and gas courses that will be offered to grade 11 and 12 students in the province to prepare students to work in those industries.

The Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre, which provides Kindergarten to Grade 12 online education to Saskatchewan students, partnered with Teine Energy, an Alberta-based company to develop the courses. They will include 50 hours of online theory and 50 hours of work placement.

This training will directly benefit oil and gas companies and prepare students for careers in industries that other jurisdictions — like Québec — are phasing out.

As global leaders and agencies call for a wind-down of the use of fossil fuels, Saskatchewan is winding up its partnership with oil and gas in education by joining hands with an industry referred to by the UN Secretary General as “godfathers of climate chaos.”