For decades, our partnership with FortisAlberta has benefited both young Albertans and the company, connecting youth to meaningful careers while building a strong, skilled workforce. At the 2025 Lineman Rodeo in Red Deer, CAREERS placed interns and alumni showcased the confidence and skills that come from early, hands-on learning. Journeyman Michael Sadoway, who began as a RAP student in 2013, has since competed at the international competition in Kansas, finishing in the top 250.
FortisAlberta CEO Janine Sullivan calls the partnership “an incredibly important feeder system for young talent.” That impact is echoed by young tradespeople like Cole Hetu, who described joining FortisAlberta at 16 as “a huge accomplishment,” and Michael, who shared, “If it wasn’t for the RAP program, I don’t even know if I’d be a lineman.” Together, their stories show what’s possible when youth are supported with real opportunities and mentorship.
This summer, the Fort McMurray Giants partnered with CAREERS to bring on local student Joshua Omeje as a social media intern, and the results exceeded expectations.
General Manager Josh Lannetti says CAREERS made the process simple: “They had candidates for me within two weeks. From onboarding to hiring, it was a no-brainer. Joshua stood out immediately.”
Joshua’s role included creating graphics, editing videos, and capturing fan experiences at the ballpark. “The Giants helped me channel my creativity into results,” he says. “This is the best job I’ve worked so far.”
Lannetti says Joshua quickly became part of the team. “He got to know the players right away, and the impact he had was incredible. The content he created speaks for itself.”
For Joshua, the experience also reignited his passion for content creation. “I tried it when I was younger, but being here relit the fire. Content creation is such a big skill, and I could see myself doing more with it.”
He credits the support he received from Lannetti. “He believes in you and doesn’t put too much pressure on you. You can ask questions, and he always responds. He honestly cares.”
Joshua now sees new possibilities for his future. “I’m definitely going to keep pursuing content creation and graphic design along with my education. This experience opened a lot of doors.”
A record-breaking 1,041 scholarship recipients were honoured at the Golden Ticket Celebration–the biggest, most electrifying event CAREERS has ever hosted. On behalf of the Alberta Government, we pulled out all the stops with an inspirational program, incredible entertainment, and an unforgettable night honoring the apprentices who are shaping Alberta’s skilled trades future.
Annual Internships
We are excited to share that 2025 was an outstanding year for CAREERS, one that surpassed our expectations and demonstrated what we can achieve when we stay committed to our mission and bold in our execution.
This year, in partnership with educators and employers, we facilitated 5,617 paid internships for Alberta youth – the largest number in our organization’s history. This represents nearly a 25% increase over last year, a milestone that seemed unfathomable not long ago. But these numbers tell only part of the story. What really matters is the diversity and breadth of opportunities we created for young Albertans.
The skilled trades continue to dominate our placements (3,528), even though our internship pathways expanded significantly across sectors. Agricultural technologies reached 816 placements, a 33% increase. Healthcare opportunities grew to 303, up 68%. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) achieved 353 placements, a 76.5% increase. These represent young people gaining real-world experience in Alberta’s most vital industries, from precision agriculture and digital media to medical lab assistant positions and emerging IT careers.
We are particularly proud of our progress in inclusion. Indigenous youth engagement grew by 42%, with 884 Indigenous youth participating in 2025. Young women participating in skilled trades internships increased by 12.5% – occupations where they have been historically underrepresented.
This growth wouldn’t be possible without our employer partners. In 2025, we worked with 3,184 employers across the province, spanning trades, agriculture, ICT, health, environment, aviation, and more. These employers are investing in Alberta’s future workforce, and we are grateful for their commitment.
An important milestone was our partnership with Alberta’s Ministry of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration to administer the Alberta Youth Employment Incentive, launched in September. This partnership signals something important: CAREERS is becoming an increasingly vital organization in Alberta when it comes to youth employment and workforce development.
Behind these achievements is a team and organization that continues to evolve. We expanded our shared resource positions in schools across the province, deepening our impact and value to educators. We also modernized SafeGen, our free student safety courses and platform, ensuring young people have access to critical workplace safety training. Through Creative Sentencing resources, we turned tragedy into meaningful safety awareness initiatives for youth in welding, reinforcing our commitment to safety education for the next generation of workers.
We developed better digital tools and leveraged technology internally to work more efficiently, allowing us to increase impact while being mindful of resources.
Our foundation is strong. We have the right strategy, the right people, and the right partnerships. We work for the best youth workforce development non-profit organization in the province – something we should be proud of and not shy about.
Thank you to our government partners, industry leaders, employers, educators, and community partners who make this work possible. Your belief in our mission and investment in Alberta’s youth drives our success.
CAREERS is powered by incredible people including student interns, mentors, educators, and dedicated champions who make meaningful opportunities possible every day. Each year, we celebrate their impact through the CAREERS Awards of Excellence, which also provides student recipients with a $500 scholarship. Meet last year’s recipients of our most prestigious honours:
Named after a respected role model and champion of CAREERS, this award recognizes an individual who goes above and beyond in advocating for skilled trades education.
This award, named for CAREERS’ board chair and co-founder, honours a long-time supporter who has made a significant impact in advancing opportunities for Indigenous youth.
Our top honour, named after one of CAREERS’ visionary co-founders, celebrates an extraordinary leader who embodies our mission and champions opportunities for youth across Alberta.
CAREERS connects high school students and youth under 21 with hands-on opportunities across the industries that power our province, skilled trades, agriculture, healthcare, ICT, forestry, energy, aviation, and more, ensuring that the next generation has the skills and connections to build strong futures without leaving their communities.
CAREERS is expanding opportunities in all facets of agriculture across Alberta. At Hidden Spring Pet Resort in Barnwell, intern Avery Taylor found her calling working with dogs, pigs, and horses, and turned a part-time placement into a career journey.
Avery Taylor | small-animal intern, Barnwell, Alberta
When Strathmore Ford connected with CAREERS, they didn’t just hire an apprentice, they championed Hanna and a new generation of women transforming the skilled trades.
Hannah Lamirande | Automotive Service Technician Apprentice, Strathmore, ALBERTA
CAREERS Young Women in Trades & Technologies Program supports opportunities for females to explore male-dominated career pathways
Through our partnership with Blood Tribe Employment & Skills Training (BTEST), Indigenous students in Southern Alberta are gaining hands-on experience, building confidence, and becoming the future leaders their communities need.
Blood Tribe Employment & Skills
| CAREERS camp, Coaldale Alberta
The CAREERS Indigenous Youth Internship Program promotes career awareness in urban centres and 39 nations across Alberta.
Through our partnership with Fountain Tire, high school interns have grown into skilled technicians and management positions, proving that investing in youth creates a pipeline of homegrown talent.
left to right: Evan Morsette | Lead Technician, Fountain Tire Calgary MacLeod, Scott Kessler | Owner Fountain Tire Calgary Northland/Bowness, Deanna Chandler | Assistant Manager, Fountain Tire Calgary Northland, Calgary, Alberta
The CAREERS Indigenous Youth Internship Program promotes career awareness in urban centres and 39 nations across Alberta.
This summer, CAREERS connected students with dozens of healthcare internships at Covenant Health facilities. In the town of Castor, Jen and Grace found their passion in unexpected places and hope to stay on as part of the team.
Left to right: Tammy Rossing | Covenant Health Program Manager, Jen McCallum | healthcare intern, Grace Weeks | healthcare intern castor, ALBERTA
Ben Rainforth
Youth Director
David Keep
EVP, MRO and Commercial Systems & Utilities, Bird Construction
David LeMay
Board Vice-Chair, President, McAsphalt Industries Ltd.
Dean Perkins
Senior Vice President of Nitrogen Operations, Nutrien
Dennis Banks
VP Maintenance, Syncrude
Donavon Young
Deputy Minister, Alberta Indigenous Relations
Janine Sullivan
President & CEO, FortisAlberta
Kelly Smith-Fraser
Manager, NuHaven Cattle Company
Kristin Romeril
VP Operations, Kaizen Automotive Group
Lora Pillipow
Deputy Minister, Alberta Education
Nadya Al-bayati
Youth Director
Patricia Pelton
Corporate Director
Sandra Cardinal
Director, Indigenous Affairs, Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc.
Sandra Sutter
Chief Executive Officer, Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association
Shannon Marchand
Deputy Minister, Advanced Education
Tim Lindsay
Executive Vice President, Canadian Business Group
CAREERS appreciates the contributions of retiring board member Doug Fingland
We added these positions in 2025 to provide our board with first-hand insights into the ideas, priorities, and challenges of today’s youth. Their presence helps us remain responsive, relevant, and connected to the demographic at the heart of our mission.
In its second year as part of the CAREERS family, SafeGen continues to grow and evolve. The program underwent significant enhancements this year, including full redevelopment of all three accredited courses and migration to a user-friendly Moodle platform. These improvements contributed to 12,505 course completions, a 5% increase year-over-year. The momentum extended beyond the classroom when SafeGen Safety Video Contest winner Micah Griffin went on to win the national competition, securing $4,500 for himself and $3,000 for his school.
Micah Griffin | Provincial & National Safety Video Contest Winner, Koinonia Christian School, Olds Alberta
OCTOBER 1, 2024– SEPTEMBER 30, 2025. Full financial statements are available at:
careersnextgen.ca/arfs
Our leadership team went the distance – literally. Watch how they conquered 118 kilometers of wilderness in the Canadian Death Race, raising $5,700 for the Indigenous Youth Internship Program. Special thanks to Dave Tuccaro, former CAREERS board member and Indigenous leader, for matching every dollar.
Jim Carter and Lorraine Bray
Michael Colborne
John Wilson Family Foundation
Kal Tire
Ledcor Industries
Rotary Club of Calgary
Downtown
Anonymous
Clearwater Welding
Ericka Folk
Bernd and Angela Manz
Eric and Kathy Newell
Northwestern Alberta
Foundation
Mel Svendsen
FLINT Energy Services
Jardeg Construction Services Ltd
Moli Industries
Alberta Aviation Futures Alliance:
Canada Council of Aviation and Aerospace (CCAA)
Elevate Aviation
Forestry Futures Alliance:
Inside Education
Work Wild
Junior Achievement
Northern Alberta
Skills Canada Alberta
Women Building Futures
We strive for accuracy in recognizing partners. If there are any additions or changes required, please contact partnerships@nextgen.org
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
FOLLOW US @careersnextgen
