Connecting Youth with Careers

At the December 13 County of St. Paul council meeting,  Teresa Mistelbacher from CAREERS: The Next Generation and Karyann Boychuk from Alberta Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour presented their plan for a career expo for junior and senior high school students. The expo, set for April 12, 2017 will introduce students from across the St. Paul school division to trades, college programs and business opportunities available locally.

According to their website, “CAREERS: The Next Generation is a unique, non-profit organization raising youth awareness of career options and helping students earn while they learn through internship. We partner with government, educators, communities, industry, parents and students to introduce youth to rewarding careers and develop the skilled workers of the future.” https://www.nextgen.org/about/

The trade fair format has been very successful in Bonnyville and in Lloydminster, where these students got some hands-on experiences.

The trade fair format has been very successful in Bonnyville and in Lloydminster, where these students got some hands-on experiences.

The trade fair format has been very successful in Bonnyville and in Lloydminster, where these students got some hands-on experiences. e fair format has been very successful in Bonnyville and in Lloydminster, where these students got some hands-on experiences.

Boychuk says the organization recognizes that upon graduating from high school many young workers head to the cities, believing there are few sustainable careers to be had in small towns. However, rural areas need youth to replace retiring workers, to open businesses, or to offer expanded services in existing businesses. Often students simply are not aware of the opportunities available at home, so the expo will expose students to career options with a focus on the trades. With a format similar to a fair, students will freely access booths offering hands-on experiences in such diverse areas as cake decorating, welding, child care, agriculture, heavy equipment operation, automotives, or carpentry. Students will be able to see and try out tasks typical to each career, and talk to workers currently employed in the fields to learn about the duties, educational requirements, challenges, and benefits.

Lakeland College, Portage College, and NAIT have already committed to attend. Boychuk and Mistelbacher are looking for trades people willing to spend a day demonstrating their skills to youth.  Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to contact the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce or Community Futures, or Karyann Boychuk at the Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour office in Bonnyville: (780) 815-4037.