Aliesha Bighetty
In the Driver’s Seat at Aurora
Today, Aliesha Bighetty is operating one of the largest haul trucks in the world at the Syncrude Aurora site. A goal that began with enrolling in the Haul Truck Operator Program at Keyano College.
Aliesha is from Barren Lands First Nation (Brochet) in Northern Manitoba. For the past 10 years, she has lived in and out of Fort McMurray, a place she considers her second home. With a strong interest in working at a mine site in the region, she began looking for a pathway that would help her get started. She first learned about the Haul Truck Operator Program through Facebook and decided to apply.
From the outset, the Haul Truck Operator Program at Keyano College gave her a clear understanding of what mine site employment requires. A significant portion of the training focused on Computer-Based Training (CBTs), the same safety and onboarding modules required by major operators such as Suncor Energy and Syncrude.
“Keyano gave me an understanding of the CBTs we have to complete before starting work,” Aliesha shared.
A typical day included working through CBT modules and building familiarity with site expectations. Participants also spent time in the simulator lab, where they practiced operating haul trucks in realistic mine scenarios.
For Aliesha, the simulator training made the biggest impact.
“The simulators helped a lot with real-life experience in the mine as a haul truck driver.”
The hands-on simulator work built confidence and bridged the gap between classroom instruction and real-world operations, turning theory into practical skill.
After completing the Haul Truck Operator Program, Aliesha secured a position as a haul truck driver with the Fort McKay Group of Companies, operating at Syncrude Aurora. Today, she is doing exactly what she set out to do, working at a mine site in the Fort McMurray region and operating some of the largest equipment in the industry.
For anyone considering the Haul Truck Operator Program but feeling uncertain, Aliesha offers straightforward encouragement:
“It gets your foot in the door if you’re interested in working at the mine sites.”
Programs like the Haul Truck Operator Program at Keyano College create direct pathways into industry. Equipping participants with the safety knowledge, technical exposure, and confidence needed to step onto site ready to work.
The Haul Truck Operator Program is offered through the Athabasca Tribal Council, and in partnership with Keyano College. The Province of Alberta is working in partnership with the Government of Canada to provide employment support programs and services.
