Tenaris is reinforcing its support for skilled trades education in Canada through the donation of an ABB Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) to Sault College’s Faculty of Trades, Technology, and Engineering.
The ABB drive will give Sault College students practical experience with the same technology used across the manufacturing sector, including at Tenaris’s Sault Ste. Marie Industrial Centre. Valued at approximately CAD$17,000, the device controls the speed and power of an electric motor by adjusting the power supply.
The donation was made during the Skills Ontario second annual Tools for Success event, held in partnership with Tenaris and Sault College. The event invites students and youth interested in electrical trades to tour Tenaris’s facility, engage in hands-on activities, and explore career paths in skilled trades.
“We are grateful for the generous contributions by Tenaris, both through the donation of the drive — which will be integrated into our Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics curriculum — and through the scholarships that reflect their confidence in the quality of Sault College academics. This is an important time in our community to support trades, and we look forward to continued collaboration with Tenaris to enhance student learning and workforce development,” shared Martha Irwin, dean of Technology, Trades and Apprenticeship at Sault College.
“The ABB drive, along with an accompanying motor and gearbox assembly, will directly support students’ training in electrical systems, preparing them with the practical knowledge Tenaris and industry employers look for in future employees,” said Angela Cruickshank, human resources senior director at Tenaris.
In addition to the device donation, Tenaris invests CAD$44,000 annually in scholarships for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Engineering Mechatronics program and the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technology programs at Sault College. The company also runs a Summer Student Program, currently employing eight Sault College students, offering valuable hands-on industrial experience that bridges academic learning with real-world application. These initiatives highlight Tenaris’s long-term commitment to building the next generation of skilled professionals and its long-term investment in the community.
Tenaris is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of steel pipe products and related services for the world’s energy industry and other industrial applications. Our customers include most of the world’s leading oil and gas companies and our revenues amounted to US$12.5 billion in 2024. Employing around 26,000 people worldwide, we operate an integrated network of steel pipe manufacturing, research, finishing and service facilities with industrial operations in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa and a direct presence in most major oil and gas markets.
