CAREERS: The Next Generation is a student focused, industry driven community partnership that helps Alberta students discover passions in the trades and occupations in high demand.
In response to the Fort McMurray wildfires on August 30, 2016 CAREERS: The Next Generation launched the Rebuilding Fort McMurray Creating Youth Futures campaign.
The purpose of the campaign was to ensure CAREERS programs remained vital in the community with new programs offering new opportunities and to make youth in Wood Buffalo valuable stakeholders in rebuilding Fort McMurray.
Since then 22,000 supports have contributed more than $250,000.
On June 16, 2017 the Canadian Red Cross, United Way and Royal Bank of Canada brought that total to more than $1.5-million.
“Youth actively participating in the recovery of communities impacted by last May’s wildfire is important to the long-term resiliency of the Wood Buffalo region,” said Melanie Soler, associate vice president of the Red Cross disaster management program in Alberta, “Canadian Red Cross is pleased to support opportunities that provide youth with access to hands-on learning experiences and skill development that can help assist with the recovery of the region for years to come.”
Now youth in the community can continue their apprenticeships while easing skill shortages in high demand areas.
Summer internships have resumed in trades, technologies and health.
Jeavaun Richards is becoming an electrician through the program.
“It’s awesome, I have a great mentor and in the position I’m in right now i’m seeing both sides of electrical jobs,” said Richards.
He told the My McMurray newsroom that getting to help rebuild Fort McMurray while learning a new trade and start a career is like killing two birds with one stone and is a great opportunity for him.
On the job so far Richards has been wiring houses and doing electrical jobs like installing fire alarms.
CAREERS is also working with schools to ensure Fort McMurray’s youth believe in a promising future for themselves.
Aboriginal Youth CAREER Pathways program
The Fort McMurray United Way has also teamed up with CAREERS to help significantly expand the Aboriginal Youth CAREER Pathways program throughout the region.
“This program meets a demonstrated need in the construction trades that our Aboriginal youth can help meet, and in the process, give them valuable skills and experience, ” said John Evans, co-chair of the United Ways Community Partnerships Table.
The program brings career awareness to the aboriginal students and then pong high school completion through career pathway exploration they are able to secure a workplace internship in various trades.
Digital Skills Academy
CAREERS and RBC will host a new Digital Skills Academy in partnership with Fort McMurray school boards this summer to introduce students to the range of careers available in the digital world.
Summer internships have resumed in trades, technologies and health and camps along with other activities are underway to help promote CAREERS initiatives of inspiring the regions youth to find jobs they thrive in.
To learn more about CAREERS and it’s programs you can visit www.nextgen.org.
