The aim of the Energy and Mines 10, 20, 30 is to provide students with information, skills, and abilities that will both make them knowledgeable and responsible citizens and prepare them to pursue careers or employment opportunities in energy and mining industries and/or the services supporting them.

Awareness: To provide students with an awareness of the nature, technology and products of Saskatchewan's energy and mining industries, as well as the related goods, services, and processes that support those industries.

Environmental Stewardship: To foster positive attitudes toward, and creative problem solving about, responsible resource management and environmental sustainability.

Personal Skills: To promote self-esteem, confidence, and a positive attitude toward the community and its economic base.

Communication Skills: To develop social and communication skills, both as students and as potential workers, managers, or consultants in the energy and mining industries.

Connections between School and Work: To create a connection for students between the world of school and the world of work.

Community Environment: To use relevant community examples and sources wherever possible to develop students’ skills and abilities.

Business and Entrepreneurship: To develop the skills and abilities that encourage and enable students to pursue opportunities in energy and mining industries via post-secondary education, apprenticeship programs, entrepreneurship, or direct employment.

Employability Skills: To develop job and safety skills appropriate to direct employment in the energy and mining industries, through classroom activity, job shadowing, work experience and work study components.

The products of the energy and mining industries are vital to human survival. It is essential that students working in this curriculum understand the interconnections among human needs and wants, renewable and nonrenewable resources, human economic activity, and the global environment.

The Energy and Mines Curriculum provides a comprehensive view of energy and mineral development in Saskatchewan and in Western Canada. It encompasses an understanding of the geological foundations of mineral resources, the physical and geographic foundations of energy resources, and the technological and economic nature of resource exploration, development, marketing, and management.

The theme of responsible management, with parallel goals of sustainable development and environmental conservation, underlies the entire program. Students will develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to appreciate the nature of resource development within the parameters of economic, social, and environmental responsibility. In particular, students will be able to:

• demonstrate greater awareness of the economic, environmental and social significance of energy and mineral resources in society and the global marketplace, and of factors affecting industry and government decisions
• describe the underlying geological and geophysical principles and processes that have produced Saskatchewan's energy and mineral resources
• describe the characteristics of energy and mineral development in Saskatchewan and Western Canada and identify the resulting products and services
• describe technologies and research initiatives designed to enhance development of Saskatchewan's energy and mineral resources
• apply sustainable development and conservation principles and goals to the development and marketing of energy and mineral resources and products
• demonstrate specific knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours appropriate to careers in sustainable resource development.

Students will be encouraged to apply, and to further develop, knowledge and skills acquired in other levels and programs in the Core Curriculum. The focus in the Energy and Mines Curriculum, as in other areas of the Practical and Applied Arts, will be on concrete and physical application of skills and principles.

Foundational objectives are the major, general statements that guide what each student is expected to achieve for the modules of the PAA curriculum. Foundational objectives indicate the most important knowledge, skills, attitudes/values, and abilities for a student to learn in a subject. Both the Foundational Objectives for Energy and Mines 10, 20, 30 and the Common Essential Learnings (CELs) Foundational Objectives to be emphasized are stated in this document. Some of these statements may be repeated or enhanced in different modules for emphasis. The Foundational Objectives of the Energy and Mines 10, 20, 30 curriculum are as follows:

• To demonstrate knowledge of the diversity, and the economic, social and environmental significance, of Saskatchewan energy and mining industries.
• To assess the environmental impact of resource exploration, production, transport, and processing.
• To assess the efforts made by the resource industry to protect the environment.
• To foster an attitude of environmental responsibility.
• To become familiar with the technology of the energy and mining industries.
• To become familiar with the nature and requirements of careers and job opportunities in Saskatchewan's energy and mining industries.
• To become familiar with the safety standards of Saskatchewan's energy and mining industries, and to develop workplace and safety skills appropriate to these industries and related services.
• To demonstrate knowledge of Saskatchewan's landforms and natural environments, and their relation to renewable and nonrenewable resources.
• To demonstrate knowledge of the natural processes underlying the formation of mineral, coal and hydrocarbon deposits.
• To understand the geological and geophysical principles underlying the process of resource exploration.
• To become familiar with the history of Saskatchewan's resource industries.
• To become familiar with the legalities of resource exploration and production.
• To become familiar with the nature and components of Saskatchewan's underground resources, and how they are extracted and purified through refining and processing.
• To become familiar with the nature, location, and operation of the distribution systems through which Saskatchewan energy and mineral resources are transported.
• To become familiar with the local and global market for Saskatchewan energy and mineral resources, and the immediate and ultimate uses of those resources.
• To examine the impact of industries involved in resource exploration, production, transport, and processing.
• To understand some of the scientific principles that underlie Saskatchewan's energy and resource industries.
• To demonstrate knowledge of the methods of commercial energy production and distribution, with emphasis on those used in Saskatchewan.
• To examine, and assess the impact of, conventional and alternative energy generation and energy conservation technologies in Saskatchewan.
• To demonstrate knowledge of alternative energy resources that are, or could be, used in Saskatchewan.
• To assess the need for, and economic impact of, alternative energy resources in Saskatchewan.

Common Essential Learnings Foundational Objectives will be specified also.

Each level of Energy and Mines 10, 20, 30 is a credit program within the area of Practical and Applied Arts, and requires 100 hours of instruction. The programs, combining compulsory core modules with a variety of optional modules, have been developed to provide a balance between:

• knowledge and skill development through relevant information and practical application of concepts
• exposure to individuals, businesses and industries involved in the energy and mining sector
• opportunities for mentoring, job shadowing, or work study using community resources.

Availability of three credits provides flexibility for the teacher to create one, two, or three courses tailored to local needs. To support this flexibility, a number of characteristics are emphasized throughout the program:

• use of Saskatchewan examples, incorporating wherever possible involvement with community industries, human resources, and related support services to provide direct experience with the concepts presented in the course
• integration of career exploration within each focus area
• application of personal safety skills and environmental responsibility in the classroom and the workplace.

In addition to fostering information-based environmental responsibility and providing job- and workplace-related skills and knowledge, the course will provide desirable background for entry into apprenticeship programs, as well as related programs at public and vocational colleges, technical institutes, and universities.