Hometown: Saskatoon, SK
Nation: Métis
Program: Automotive Service Technician certificate
Sharla is taking the path less travelled, studying in the Automotive Service Technician program. The Métis woman is helping open eyes and doors for Indigenous women in a male-dominated field.
Sharla heard about Sask Polytech through the Gabriel Dumont Institute, and found the school’s high success rate and knowledgeable instructors appealing.
As a mature student and a single mom, she’s run into her share of obstacles. “If I could go back, I’d tell myself to get an education sooner. At 31, it’s challenging. With kids, it’s even more so,” she says. “Each day, I try to rise above the challenges and keep motivated to achieve success.”
She has used a number of student supports to stay on track. “I appreciate the Indigenous Students’ Centre,” she says. “It’s a safe place with friendly faces, and it gave me access to the services I needed. I also used learning services and accessed a tutor, which helped improve my grade from 59 per cent to 84 per cent!”
Sharla uses her success to encourage others, especially her own children. “If you start down a path,” she says, “don’t quit just because it gets hard. It will get hard, but you will make it through. Keep going!”