2024

Annual
Report

At 16, Luciano started an apprenticeship through CAREERS and the Registered Apprenticeship Program, uncertain about his future. Today, he is co-owner of a successful general contracting business with his brother.

“I’m glad these programs are available in high school. They give students the confidence to take that first step towards a career they’re excited about. Nothing seems impossible anymore. The sky is the limit.”

Luciano Alvarez began his journey as an electrician apprentice with the City of Edmonton

APPRENTICESHIP TO INDUSTRY LEADER

25 years ago, a young Annie stepped onto the site of one of the world’s largest producers of synthetic crude oil. She was among the first participants of the CAREERS Co-op Apprenticeship Program.

“It was really intimidating, going into the heart of extraction, the piping, the noise, and the steam. I remember thinking that I had this amazing opportunity, and I was going to work really hard and find my way.”

And that’s exactly what she did, despite having no previous experience.

“When I signed up and became a Millwright Technician, I didn’t really know what a Millwright was, but I knew I could learn something. If you approach it with that kind of fearlessness, you will be successful. It didn’t take long to realize that I could successfully contribute.

There are always opportunities for somebody who’s not quite as big or strong to fit into this industry because there are so many different aspects to the work that we’re doing.”

From humble beginnings to a long successful career. Over the past two decades her journey has progressed from apprenticeship to Millwright Technician, leading to various management roles, and ultimately a director position where she now helps to shape the future of the company.

“I love my job. I couldn’t do it without having all the experiences of my career. Now I have a role that brings me so much excitement and contentment. I’m really in the ultimate happy place. There’s no limit to what you can do with a trade once you get that certificate and enter this industry.”

ANNIE LAWLEY
Director, Syncrude operated by Suncor

A record-breaking 945 graduates received the High School Apprenticeship Scholarship in 2024. On behalf of the Alberta Government, CAREERS hosted a special evening FILLED WITH inspiration, celebration and entertainment in their honour. 

OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

  • EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT
  • YOUTH PARTICIPATION
  • FISCAL + ORGANIZATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY
  • COMMUNITY REACH

Internships 2020-2024

THE 2024 CAREERS TEAM
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CAREERS works with so many remarkable student interns, employer mentors, educators and champions. We love to highlight their accomplishments through the CAREERS Awards of Excellence,
which also provides student recipients with a $500 scholarship.

Here are last year’s winners of CAREERS’ most prestigious awards:

John Aldred Ambassadorship Award | Dwayne Tilley

Named after a respected role model and ambassador for CAREERS, this award honors an individual who has worked closely with our team to demonstrate outstanding advocacy for skilled trades education.

James Carter Indigenous Leader Award | Dave Tuccaro

This award, named after CAREERS’ board chair and co-founder, recognizes a long-time CAREERS supporter and champion for Indigenous youth.

Eric P. Newell Award of Excellence | Mel Svendsen

The top honor, named after one of CAREERS’ co-founders, celebrates a true champion of CAREERS’ vision and mission who exemplifies outstanding leadership.

See all recipients and video stories at careersnextgen.ca/awards

 

SAVE THE DATE July 3, 2025

Heritage Pointe Golf Club, Calgary

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As CAREERS enters a new era of leadership, we are inspired by the remarkable achievements of this past year and energized by the opportunities on the horizon. It has been an unprecedented year for us and our school partners, with over 4,500 internships facilitated across Alberta—an all-time high in our organization’s history. We are grateful to the educators, employers, and partners who have helped our team reach this milestone. Together, we are transforming Alberta’s workforce and guiding thousands of young Albertans toward fulfilling, high-demand careers.

Our success is built on maintaining a strong alignment with industry, enabling us to create real-world opportunities for Alberta’s youth in career fields that are both in high demand today and critical for the future. This includes sectors like the skilled trades, which account for two-thirds of all CAREERS internships, and agriculture, which saw a 47% increase in youth participation since 2023. Additionally, we are expanding into fast-growing fields such as aviation, tourism, and renewable energy, and exploring how advancements in technology impact the workforce.

In this rapidly evolving job market, CAREERS is helping to redefine Albertans’ perception of career success. Throughout this year’s report, you’ll find stories that illustrate the real impact our work has on young people—stories of discovery, growth, and high achievement. These stories also highlight the positive impact these youth have on their employers and industries. Alberta’s economy depends on a strong, dynamic, skilled workforce, and these youth will be our future leaders. CAREERS has a proven track record of providing opportunities that lead to rewarding career pathways, culminating in leadership positions and other critical roles that ultimately shape Alberta’s future.

Looking ahead, we are excited to build on this momentum. Our goal is to continue expanding our reach, connecting more of Alberta’s youth with the experience and mentorship that will serve as a foundation for their futures. In doing so, we aim to bridge the gap between the passion and potential that youth bring to the table and Alberta’s workforce needs.

To everyone who has supported CAREERS this year—thank you. Your dedication is the spark that drives every life-changing experience. We are excited to lead CAREERS into this next chapter and look forward to continuing this journey with you in the years to come.

STEFAN RUTKOWSKI
President & CEO
JIM CARTER
Board Chair
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“I’m a school principal. I don’t have the skillset to get a student placed with an employer. So if you have an organization that’s going to help you and support you to do those things, then it just makes sense to work with them.”

Tom Henderson

Many Horses High School | Calgary

“It’s one thing to sit and grumble about employee shortages, and it’s another to take things into your own hands and make sure we have a solution going forward. CAREERS helps you do that.”

Scott Koughan

Fix Auto Sherwood North | Sherwood Park

NORTH WEST

448 interns

277 employers

NORTH EAST

527 interns

402 employers

CAPITAL

816 interns

478 employers

CENTRAL

721 interns

447 employers

CALGARY FOOTHILLS

1,074 interns

670 employers

SOUTH

926 interns

555 employers

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Alberta’s future workforce needs are continually changing. Guided by industry insights, CAREERS adapts by expanding programming and providing opportunities across a diverse range of industries and sectors, including:

Skilled Trades • Agriculture • Information & Communications Technology (ICT) • Forestry ENERGY/OIL & GAS • Healthcare • Aviation • And more!

Kurtis Kwashuk started RAP through CAREERS when he was 16 and has moved up the ranks at PTW Energy to be the Area Manager in Redwater. He is now helping mentor the next generation of CAREERS interns. “I’d like to keep supporting the program and keep it growing because that’s our future.”

Kurtis Kwashuk

REGIONAL MANAGER | PTW ENERGY

CAREERS facilitated 3,088 internships in the skilled trades last year, including 184 positions in the Co-op Apprenticeship Program.

“I didn’t really have much of a plan before this, so doing this internship was definitely an eye opener. I didn’t know if I was going to like forestry, and I love it. There’s just no way I could do an office job after this.”

Maya Callihoo

FORESTRY INTERN | WEST FRASER

CAREERS’ collaborates with Inside Education and Work Wild in the Forestry Futures Alliance to provide student and teacher awareness as well as forestry-related internship positions to high school students.

“By 21, I’ll be an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer and pilot. I love traveling to places like the Northwest Territories—no two days are ever the same. They say if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day, and this job proves it.”

STEEL BURKE

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ENGINEER APPRENTICE | ADVENTURE AVIATION

CAREERS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ELEVATE AVIATION AND THE CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR AVIATION AND AEROSPACE, HAS FORMED THE ALBERTA AVIATION FUTURES ALLIANCE. This collaboration provides youth with engagement opportunities, internships, and training programs, addressing the global aviation workforce shortage.

“I’m really lucky to have this internship because I get to be hands-on with the animals. After this, I’d like to take Equine Massage Therapy at Olds College, so it definitely helped me figure out what I want to do.”

ABAGAIL RYCKMAN

Large Animal Intern | Century Mile Racetrack

With 614 placements this year, nearly 14% of all CAREERS internships were related to agriculture.

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Indigenous Youth Internship Program

Aurora Big Plume is one of nine Many Horses High School students who interned at Calgary’s Grey Eagle Resort this summer.

“This internship was a godsend, helping me support my mom while inspiring a career in cooking and baking. Learning from my head chef, Dash, has opened my eyes to this path.”

Big Plume’s internship was part of the CAREERS Indigenous Youth Internship Program, which promotes career awareness among Indigenous youth. Over the past year, it facilitated 623 internships, supported by partnerships with Alexander First Nation, Fort McKay First Nation, and Fort McMurray Métis Local 1935.

Aurora Big Plume

COOK APPRENTICE | GREY EAGLE RESORT

Young Women in Trades & Technologies

“Working in a male-dominated field was daunting at first, but I’m grateful for what I’ve learned. Each day, I gain new knowledge. Without this internship, I wouldn’t have discovered my options or pursued a dual apprenticeship.”

CAREERS supported 527 work-integrated learning opportunities in skilled trades for females over the past year. The Young Women in Trades and Technologies program provides safe and supported opportunities for females to try male-dominated career pathways.

NADYA AL-BAYATI

AUTO SERVICE TECHNICIAN/HEAVY EQUIPMENT TECHNICIAN APPRENTICE | CITY OF EDMONTON

U21

CAREERS launched the U21 Program following the COVID pandemic to support youth fresh out of high school who may have missed out on the opportunity to explore the skilled trades. With many young people unsure of what to do after the program has been a resounding success. In 2024, CAREERS facilitated 385 U21 internships – a 27% increase over the previous year.

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JIM CARTER, OC, Board Chair | ERIC NEWELL, OC, Founding Chair

Sandra Cardinal

Director, Aboriginal Affairs, Alberta Pacific Forest Industries

Doug Fingland

Director, TA Planning and Logistics Regional Services, Upstream, Suncor Energy

David LeMay

President, McAsphalt Industries
Board Vice Chair
Board Nominating Committee Chair

Tim Lindsay

Executive Vice- President, Pacific Western Transportation

Patricia Pelton

Corporate Director

Dean Perkins

Senior Vice President, Canadian Thermal and Conventional Heavy Oil Operations, Cenovus Energy

Lora Pillipow

Deputy Minister, Alberta Education

Kristin Romeril

VP Operations, Kaizen Automotive Group

Sandra Sutter

Corporate Director

Kelly Smith-Fraser

Manager, NuHaven Cattle Co.
Secretary & Treasurer
Finance and Audit Committee Chair

Janine Sullivan

President & CEO, FortisAlberta

Donavon Young

Deputy Minister,
Alberta Indigenous Relations

STEFAN RUTKOWSKI

President & CEO

ERICKA FOLK

Director, Partnerships

JEANNIE HAWKSWORTH

Director, Finance & Corporate Services

SAROEUN KEUTH-RAY

Director, Programs & Development


KOMAL ROHRA

Director, People

STACEY RISHAUG

Director, Marketing & Communications

CAREERS appreciates the contributions of retiring board members: Darlene Bouwsema, Corporate Director, and Bernd Manz, Corporate Director.

In 2023, SafeGen joined the CAREERS family, driven by a shared commitment to empowering youth in their journey toward safe and fulfilling careers. SafeGen offers free safety courses for youth including HCS3000, HCS3010, AGR3000 and Mental Health in the Workplace, providing the necessary foundation to promote safety on the jobsite.

In the first full year under the CAREERS umbrella, there have been 12,088 successful course completions. The redevelopment of our most popular courses are either underway or completed, ensuring content is up to date with legislation and improving interactivity and user experience.

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OCTOBER 1, 2023– SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

Full financial statements are available at:
careersnextgen.ca/arfs

$ 0 M

ESTIMATED VALUE EMPLOYERS INVESTED IN INTERNS

$ 0

Total Revenue $10,870,860

Operating Expenses $10,951,892

Out of Alberta’s 57,000 apprentices this year, more than 2,700 began as high school students in the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP).

This is an 18% increase over 2022.

 – Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training

Leaders $10,000+

FortisAlberta

Government of Canada

Jim Carter and Lorraine Bray

Construction Labour Relations
an Alberta Association

Kal Tire

Ledcor Industries

Telus Community Board Calgary

Friends $1000+

4G Motorsports

4G Tempo

Alberta Wall and Ceiling Association

Calgary Foundation

Michael Colborne

Ericka Folk

Andy Fraser

Jardeg Construction Services

Janis Lawrence-Harper

Bernd and Angela Manz

 

 

MiLo Group

Andy and Kathi Neigel

Eric and Kathy Newell

Northbridge General
Insurance Corporation

Northwestern Alberta
Foundation

Nutrien

Sunset Recycle & Sales

Total HR Solutions

Event Partners

FLINT Energy Services

Jardeg Construction Services Ltd

LPS Crane

Moli Industries

We strive for accuracy in recognizing partners. If there are any additions or changes required, please contact partnerships@nextgen.org

thank you

ENABLING YOUTH ON THEIR PATH TO REWARDING CAREERS since 1997

CAREERS: The Next Generation Foundation is a student focused, industry-school-community partnership that provides awareness and experience. Youth are encouraged to engage in learning, stay in school and discover their career passion in skilled trades, technologies, and occupations in high demand.

CAREERS: The Next Generation Foundation
18256 102 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5S1S7
1.888.757.7172 | communications@nextgen.org
careersnextgen.ca
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