TOGETHER WE BUILD THE FOUNDATIONS

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navigating his passion for carpentry in junior high and high school.

“In the late ‘80s and through the ‘90s, we saw this great push for higher-level education: the ‘university pathway’,” he says. “Shop classes were swapped for computer labs… and if you were interested in pursuing construction or trades, society labelled you a failure.”

Though perceptions are beginning to change, the process is slow.

“It’s only in the last 10 years or so that school boards have realized how wrong that thinking was,” adds Mielke. “While they’ve started reinvesting back into shop classes, it’s evident teachers need more help, especially at the junior high level.”

As it stands, roughly 40 per cent of junior high schools in the Edmonton Public School Board offer constructionrelated courses. After setting foot in his own daughter’s junior high shop class, Mielke was inspired to make a difference.

“A lot of the shop teachers are just making do. More often than not, they have a finite value of things they can purchase,” he says. “After seeing my daughter’s classroom, I thought, we can do better—we can make a difference.”

On a wider scale, the Canadian Construction Association estimates over 93,000 construction job vacancies exist in the Canadian labour market, largely due to a retiring workforce and a lack of young people entering the industry.

Despite daunting statistics, Career Pathways is moving full steam ahead to change the narrative and show youth all the viable careers the industry has to offer. Equipped with extra funding, industry leaders are finding new ways to connect with students and teachers from elementary, junior high, and high schools through donations, event sponsorships, mentorship, bursaries, and more.

“The need is there and we’re excited to amplify our efforts and see what kind of difference we can make with more funding and resources,” says Down, who also remains optimistic about the evolving industry and employment opportunities. “There’s tons of technology coming out of construction and skilled trades. You can go to postsecondary and be an estimator or a project manager—you don’t necessarily have to be out on the site or in a field. Career Pathways highlights all these opportunities as valid options.”

TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS: AN ANNUAL SUCCESS

In early 2023, Tools for Schools completed its largest supply donation to date, giving over 4,000 students across the Edmonton region ongoing access to hands-on experiences in shop programs.

“Our biggest focus is helping young people see a future in the trades,” shares Mielke. “To do that, we need to put tools in their hands so they can really feel engaged and supported.”

Every Friday for four weeks, ECA members hand-delivered over $70,000 worth of much-needed tools, consumable materials, and safety supplies to 21 schools in Edmonton Public and Parkland County school divisions. The delivery also came with ample recognition to the dedicated teachers working tirelessly to keep the programs going.

“At the end of the day, these teachers are also part of the construction industry,” says Down. “They’re the people who are teaching these students and helping foster a love for working with your hands. That’s how these things start.”

Building on prior success since 2021, the program increased its funding and received additional donations through partners like Lafarge, Kerr Interiors, and Home Depot Canada. To date, almost $100,000 worth of tools have been delivered to junior high and high schools across the region.

This year, Tools for Schools also offered a customized supply distribution approach to cater to the different needs of each classroom. Shop instructors were able to pick tools and materials from a standardized list and were also encouraged to request specific items based on their classroom and program’s unique needs. By equipping shop classrooms across the Edmonton region with the proper resources, the program hopes to inspire and prepare students for potential careers in the construction industry.

Dickinsfield Junior High School was among many schools on this year’s delivery list.

“It makes it really exciting that I get to be a part of it, I get to test out new tools,” shares seventh-grade student Zaian Noman. “I would love to continue with construction, and everybody else wants to try it too.”

In order to determine whether a school can offer a construction class, student interest, availability of learning spaces, and teacher capacity need to be considered.

“At Dickinsfield, we feel very fortunate to receive the donation of tools from the