Hundreds of Manitoba high school students explored potential careers in the skilled trades during a hands-on summit hosted at Assiniboine College this week.
The Construction Association of Rural Manitoba (CARM) and Assiniboine College’s School of Trades held their annual Trades Summit on March 10 at the Len Evans Centre for Trades and Technology on the college’s North Hill campus. About 330 students from nearly 20 schools across the province attended the event.
Throughout the day, students visited an employer tradeshow and took part in interactive “try-a-trade” sessions designed to give them a practical sense of different career paths.
“It was fantastic to have students exploring our shops and labs,” said Jim DeGraeve, acting dean of the School of Trades. “Giving high school students the chance to try hands-on activities that reflect real industry practices helps them see what a future in the trades can truly look like.”
The event also offered networking opportunities for students already enrolled in Assiniboine’s pre-employment trades programs. Those students were encouraged to bring resumes and meet directly with potential employers attending the tradeshow.
“This was an incredible chance for our students to move forward in their career journey,” DeGraeve said. “Meeting employers face-to-face gives them the platform to demonstrate their abilities, learn directly from industry leaders and even open the door to job offers before their training is complete.”
Organizers say events like the Trades Summit play an important role in addressing labour shortages across the skilled trades sector.
“Right now, industry partners across the sector are urgently seeking skilled trades professionals,” said Shawn Wood, executive director of the Construction Association of Rural Manitoba. “That’s why we’re proud to collaborate with the college on this summit. Together we’re showing students how their training links directly to real workforce needs and how promising a future in the trades truly is.”
The event is supported by several partners, including Junior Achievement Manitoba and Colleges and Institutes Canada, which help fund programs that introduce youth to skilled trades careers.
“JA Canada empowers young people to discover their potential and make meaningful contributions to their communities,” said Joy Lorette, rural program manager and director of volunteers for Junior Achievement Manitoba. “Through accessible, inclusive programming, we help youth build essential, transferable skills, from work readiness to financial well-being and entrepreneurship.”
Lorette said the organization has partnered with RBC and Colleges and Institutes Canada since 2022 to help develop and expand the Skilled Trades Summit program in collaboration with institutions such as Assiniboine College.
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Mar 11, 2026 at 09:48
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