It was an impressive day in the SIAST world on Friday.

Graduation ceremonies for the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology Woodland Campus took place and it was a full house at the Rawlinson Centre.

One of the biggest things to happen was Donavon Elliott's reception of an honourary diploma in industrial training.

Elliott is a teacher at Carlton Comprehensive High School, but also works as the chairman of Skills Canada Saskatchewan and the vice-chairman of Skills Canada. He also works for the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division getting youth jobs in the trades right out of high school.

"The idea is to promote trades and technologies."

He has been teaching for 18 years.

He began his journey at SIAST taking an electrician course, he said, and it all grew from there.

He then took his bachelor of education while working full time. From there Elliott began teaching all of the shop classes at Carlton.

He went back to school for his masters in curriculum writing and from there began to change the face of the trades in Saskatchewan high schools. He wrote the new electrical curriculum for the province and made it so when a student finishes high school they can challenge the level one standing as a journeyman and get right to work without taking another two months of school first.

He even has some grade 11 students working in the trades.

Elliott said he gets phone calls weekly with business asking for his students to work for them.

"All the kids that can work are working."

Elliott was completely shocked to receive the diploma.

"You never know what an influence you have on people - it's just an awesome feeling."

He said all he wants to do is help youth find careers and to make sure there are options out there for them.

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Reprinted from: http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=141803&sc=4