Skilled Futures: Highlights from the World of Choices Skilled Trades Summits 

JA Canada is proud to celebrate the success of the 2024–2025 World of Choices Skilled Trades Summits, an innovative initiative designed to inspire youth to explore rewarding careers in the skilled trades. As demand for trade professionals continues to rise across Canada - over 222,000 Red Seal tradespeople are needed over the next four years - these summits equip young people with the knowledge, tools, and hands-on experiences they need to confidently explore this essential sector.

We’re especially grateful to RBC and Imperial Oil for their support in fueling skilled trades education and helping embed these programs into the core of JA’s career readiness offerings.

A big thank you as well to Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) for their invaluable contributions as Summit Hosts and key resource partners for the JA Career Exploration Centre. Students can also dive deeper anytime through the JA Career Exploration Center, our virtual platform that supports both independent and classroom-based career discovery.

Together, we’re building stronger pathways to skilled careers and empowering the next generation of talent.

The summits provided a space for students to get exposed to: 

• Industry panels led by electricians, mechanics, carpenters, and other skilled trades professionals, including women and BIPOC leaders, who shared their career journeys and offered advice from a range of personal perspectives. 
• Interactive transferrable skills workshops helping students identify and build essential career skills: communication, problem solving, adaptability, creativity & innovation, collaboration, among others. 
• Live demonstrations and hands-on sessions where students could explore the tools, technologies, and techniques used in various trades, igniting curiosity and sparking new interests. 
• Networking opportunities where students connected directly with industry experts, learning about apprenticeship programs, certifications, academic pathways, and employment opportunities. 

Supporting Canada’s Skilled Workforce of Tomorrow

The World of Choices Skilled Trades Summits are a direct response to Canada’s growing need for skilled trade professionals. By equipping youth with the guidance, tools, and real-world insights to explore these careers, JA Canada is helping build a strong, diverse, and future-ready workforce.

We’re excited to expand the program’s reach, bringing summits to even more communities across the country and opening doors for more young people to discover rewarding opportunities in the skilled trades.