Telus Spark Science Centre gets $300K boost for exhibits exploring trades

New funding from the provincial government aims to introduce young people to the trades earlier to build a skilled workforce.

Alberta announced a $300,000 grant for Calgary’s Telus Spark Science Centre on Wednesday in an effort to inspire the next generation of skilled tradespeople.

The money will be used for the facility’s BLUprint exhibits, where families learn, build and explore the trades.

“A strong Alberta economy relies on skilled trades,” Myles McDougall, minister of advanced education, said Tuesday. “From the homes we build to the infrastructure that powers our province, tradespeople are at the centre of our growth story.”

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The Telus Spark says last year, 42,496 participants explored the science behind skilled trades through BLUprint — which stands for Building, Learning and You.

“The funding will enable outdoor carpentry programming to happen throughout the summer and indoor programming around soldering, woodburning and more year-round,” said a Wednesday news release. “BLUprint exhibits including plumbing, electrical trades, welding simulators, a heavy equipment simulator, a crane, a circuit table and a construction house.”

Guy Labine, president and CEO of Telus Spark, says BLUprint also lets visitors discover how deeply STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) is woven into various career pathways.