Hands-on learning and paid co-ops power success in Sask Polytech’s Electrical Engineering Technology program

- Sponsored, Sask PolyTech

January 19, 2026

“We engage in a variety of community outreach activities to attract students, including hands-on workshops and partnerships with local schools and organizations,” says Babith Varghese, Electrical Engineering Technology program head. “Workshops provide a basic introduction to the lab and equipment and can help make prospective students more comfortable with the learning environment.”

Students say they value Sask Polytech’s small classes, hands-on learning, approachable instructors and paid co-operative education work terms.

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For Ella Kessler-Holderness, the decision to enrol was rooted in family. “My dad and stepdad are both engineers,” she says. “They taught me to love math and I wanted to follow in their footsteps.”

After a gap year working in reception at a vet clinic, she’s now thriving in her first semester. “The labs are really interesting. It’s like a puzzle you put together,” she says.

That sense of support is echoed by Runhe Wang. She spent a year upgrading math and science through the Adult Education program at Sask Polytech’s Saskatoon campus before applying.

“I wanted something with strong technical skills and good long-term career opportunities,” she says. “The lab work is amazing. We build circuits, measure voltage and current and troubleshoot together.”

Like her classmates, Tamika Ehrmantraut loves the hands-on approach. “The labs teach me the most because I’m a hands-on learner. It’s rigorous but so worth it.”

Both Ehrmantraut and Abby Allen joined the program after a year of university. They were drawn to Sask Polytech for its smaller classes and easier access to instructors. “The big class sizes at university were oQ-putting and I could never reach out to my teachers,” says Ehrmantraut. “At Sask Polytech, the instructors know our names and are always around to answer questions.”

Allen agrees, “I enjoy how hands-on the program is. In the first week, we were in the lab building circuits. I’d absolutely recommend this program to anyone considering it.”

Varghese says that co-operative education is a major selling point of the program for all students. “During co-op, students have the opportunity to earn competitive wages, and after graduation, many secure well-paying positions.”

Kessler-Holderness says that co-op education sold her on the program: “Getting work experience while still studying is amazing and made me want to apply.”

When asked about advice for other students applying to the program, Kessler-Holderness says, “If you are interested in puzzles and putting stuQ together, this program is for you.”