Happy 2023! This year, we’re dedicated to becoming the best versions of ourselves possible. Through lots of learning and unlearning, we’re determined to make 2023 our year!

Here are three tips for making 2023 your year too.

Learn the power of yes and no.

SMALL WORDS WITH A BIG IMPACT.

Learn to pick and choose this year! Saying no may seem negative, but think of it this way – when you say yes to something you’re unsure of, you could be saying no to something potentially important.

The key is to think things over to be as intentional as possible. If you have the smallest gut feeling that something isn’t right, don’t be afraid to say no! Learn to understand your value, talents, and potential. Don’t take yourself (or your time) for granted!

Be unapologetic all the time.

LEARN TO STAND YOUR GROUND.

Stop apologizing so much! Saying sorry for being who you are, or for feeling your emotions, can negatively impact your self-worth. When you apologize for who you are, it implies that there is something wrong with who you are. This could not be less true!

Take the time this year to set firm and healthy boundaries with yourself and with others. Additionally, creating clear expectations for how you ought to act, as well as how you want others to act, can help to guide you to your full potential. Refuse to compromise who you are to conform to anyone’s standards.

Get enough sleep.

LIKE, SERIOUSLY.

There is nothing in the world worth losing sleep over. It can wait until tomorrow! The science speaks for itself – sleep is incredibly important for good health! Getting a good night’s sleep can improve your brain performance and your mood. Sleeping is like a reset time for your brain. It helps prepare your brain to learn, remember, and create.

Try to stick to a solid sleep schedule this year, even on weekends! Limit time spent on your phone beforehand (try reading a book, writing, or drawing before bed instead). Creating a good sleeping environment is also essential – make sure you’re as comfortable as possible!

Here’s to 2023!

Trades Week by Design

On May 19 and 20, Build a Dream successfully delivered Trades Week – an engaging two-day virtual event designed to promote careers in the skilled trades to thousands of high school students, parents and educators across Ontario.

Trades Week included thoughtfully crafted panels with a diverse group of speakers, opportunities to engage with employers and pathways, and several ways for attendees to win amazing prizes. The event was held on an intuitive platform which enabled participants to explore the virtual space and curate their own experience.

In addition to key presentations offered on the Main Stage, other events elements included: side stages for focused conversation and branded virtual booths and interactive breakout rooms for our industry partners. To integrate experiential learning, Build a Dream partnered with Domino’s Canada to host Ontario’s largest virtual pizza party to parallel a live pizza demo illustrating how the skilled trades impact our lives and how careers in this field keep the world moving.

We would like to thank our corporate sponsors, partners, school board contacts and the government of Canada for helping us achieve tremendous success in hosting Ontario’s largest virtual skilled trades event.

Achievements

Highlights by the Numbers

Audience Snapshot

Session Tracks

Attendees had the opportunity to select session tracks for a customized experience.

Day 1

A deeper dive on a pillar of the skilled trades that interested them the most of the 4 Sectors:

Day 2

Focused on becoming “job ready” and NEXT STEPS in student’s career journeys led by LEADERS in the SKILLED TRADES:

Survey Says

Why students, families and educators decided to spend two inspirational evenings with us:

95%

Would CONSIDER A CAREER IN THE SKILLED TRADES AFTER ATTENDING

We asked our audience what types of tools and resources would help them with career planning.

1. Online Resources
2. Mentorship Programs
3. Navigating Your Career Guide
4. Professional Development Workshops
5. Networking Events

Social Engagement

Over the course of Trades Week, the event was promoted across all social channels and received an incredible response. Not only was social media used as a vehicle to communicate with Build a Dream followers, it was integrated with the event itself to keep students engaged.

Trades Week Metrics

Speaker Showcase

All panels featured a diverse group of speakers with various breadths of experience among all pillars of the skilled trades. This was intentional as each speaker shared their unique career journey and offered insight from a different lens.

Interactive Elements

A Message to Ontario Students from Build a Dream’s President and Founder

“You are our future. You are bright. You are smart. The future is all yours for the taking. I want you to believe in the power of your dreams I want you to believe that YOU can help create, design and build a beautiful world.”

Nour Hachem-Fawaz

Our 2021 Impact Report

Build a Dream is a national non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of diversity and inclusion initiatives. Our mission is to ensure that equitable opportunities exist so EVERYONE can achieve their full career potential.

Since our inception in 2014, we have delivered programming for young women that inspire, build confidence, fill skills gaps, and offer new perspectives on how to diversify the workforce. Working with business and industry, community leaders and our educational partners, we work to promote career opportunities in sectors that are traditionally under-represented by women: skilled trades, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), emergency response, entrepreneurship, and the overall advancement of women in society.

Through our virtual conferences, workshops, in-person career expos, and more, Build a Dream provides the spark that can ignite a young woman’s interest and passion in a career they might not have otherwise explored.

Target Audience

Organizational Achievements

Investing in Build a Dream

= Investing in Building & Diversifying Your Workforce

Check out their flier below for all the information you need and click on the link at the bottom to apply.

Click here to learn more info and apply

She is an automotive service technician and the President & CEO of Kinetic Auto Service Ltd. She’s the President & CEO of EmpowHer Apparel that sells trades-related clothing with proceeds supporting women. She’s on the Board of Directors for her local Chamber of Commerce. She’s taught at the local college and is on the advisory board for the Office to Advance Women Apprentices. 

Based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Erin didn’t always have an interest in cars. The skilled trades were not presented as an option for women in high school and she wasn’t a fan of rules or what was being taught in the classroom. It wasn’t until the age of 26 that she chose her path when her future wife suggested that it was time to pick a career.

With the Saskatchewan Polytechnic course book in hand, Erin flipped through and thought about what she wanted which included the opportunity to do something that could be done anywhere in the world. She was also aware that she was good problem solver and enjoyed working with her hands and that’s when she realized that automotive might be a good fit. 

Erin went to the local auto shop and asked if they’d hire her but they only offered her a spot at the front counter. She applied for the 1-year program at the college and told the shop, “You’ll hire me later!” Two weeks after that encounter, the owner called and agreed to give her a chance. 

With some experience and schooling in hand, Erin moved to a new shop but it closed down. That’s when she and another tech decided to open their own business. 

“It’s a lot harder than it looks,” says Erin about becoming an entrepreneur. She found that her days were filled with more than working on cars…she was also answering calls, marketing the business, and dealing with customers. “I was doing everything but doing nothing well. It made no sense to me.” 

Erin said that the secret to success was hiring strong staff and giving them the tools to succeed. That’s a piece of advice she’d share with every entrepreneur: “Hire people that are better than you and then put them in those roles!” As an incentive, she’s also given a percentage of the company to the staff. 

What barriers are there as a woman in trades? 

Erin says that she’s had men take the wrench out of her hand and when applying for a job she was offered $5 less per hour than a man who had less experience. Her determination pushed her forward: “I have a deep inside feeling that I can’t fail at things.” 

Now as a business owner, she sees that drive in her latest hire. A young woman came and asked for a job and Erin suggested she get some education and experience first. The woman said, “You’ll hire me.” and started a school program. Every few months she called and Erin did not have a job available but the woman would say, “You’ll hire me on this date.” It was sounding familiar. 

“Clearly she wanted to do this,” Erin says of her new apprentice. “She’s awesome. She’s a delight.” 

What are we missing to get more women into trades? 

Erin says that a lot of great work is happening but the talent pool is still so small. “We need to figure out a way to attract more women to the trades.” She says that includes connecting women to each other and to organizations that work together for advancement. She also thinks that tech classes should be marketed as a way to build future skills and self-reliance. 

As an entrepreneur, she also feels it’s important to support other women and help change the ownership of more businesses. “We need to get women into all places and higher positions. If more women-owned businesses, they’d create those inclusive spaces.” 

“We’re on the right track.” 

What advice does Erin have for young women?  

Erin says that there are so many options available for women today and “It’s kind of cool!”  

“It’s a good job. We get paid well. It’s useful.” She says that it might be hard if all of your friends are doing other things and you might feel out of place as the only woman in a class, but consider convincing friends to try it out together. 

Her advice to teens? 

• Stick it out. 
• Make the changes that are required to tackle what you want. 
• Use your voice. 
• Stay curious. 

A true starter, Erin’s got big plans for promoting EmpowHER Apparel with an end goal of building grants and scholarships for women entering trades. She emphasizes the need for representation and highlighting everything the careers offer. 

“If the visibility is there…if we can explain the benefits of non-traditional roles…I think we’ll have a lot more women interested.” 

Learning to change a tire or your oil can be super daunting for some young women who don’t know much about cars, but read on to learn about Delaney’s experience and how it helped her confidence and saved her some money.

In October of 2019, a few months after starting my apprenticeship I bought my truck and when it came time to get my first oil change, I ended up paying around $140.00. After that, I quickly made it a goal of mine to learn more about the basic maintenance of my truck. I figured if I could save a few dollars, why not?!

I read through the owner’s manual, found out what kind of oil my truck needed and how much I would need. I waited until it went on sale, and stocked up. I bought the correct oil filter and once my truck was due for the next oil change, headed out to my grandparents’ house. Luckily, my grandpa had experience changing the oil in his vehicles and he also had a set of ramps to lift the front end up to make it easier to crawl under. He guided me through the steps, and within 30-45 minutes, my oil was changed for less than half the price I had previously paid. I cannot describe the feeling of accomplishment I felt at that moment. 

I did the math and figured out just how much I saved by dedicating just under an hour of my time to getting my hands a little dirty and doing it myself. Oil goes on sale frequently at most retailers. I like to buy in bulk when it does, I’ll end up using it eventually. The regular price for one full synthetic 5L jug of oil is between $40-$60 depending on the brand. It goes on sale for anywhere between $20-$30, which is when I like to purchase it. My truck takes between 6L-7L of oil, so I can get 2 oil changes out of 3 jugs. Oil filters range in price from $5-$15 depending on the brand and style of filter. Every time I stock up on 3 jugs of oil, I also pick up 2 filters so I know I’m set for the next 2 changes. The grand total I spent on supplies for two oil changes is no more than $120.00, which is obviously still $20.00 less than I paid for just one. Well worth it in my opinion. 

In terms of the actual process itself, I start by driving my truck up onto the ramps and chocking the wheels to ensure my truck won’t roll down while I’m working under it. I like to slide an old piece of cardboard or plywood under the truck where I’m working, just in case oil spills (which it usually does) and this prevents it from staining the driveway. I grab a wrench and place a bucket directly under my oil plug. I take the oil plug out using the wrench and then I move the bucket based on where the oil is coming out. Once the oil drains out, I place the plug back in.

The next step is to change the oil filter. I unscrew the old one, letting the oil still in it drain into the bucket, and I take the new one and screw it on. After that, I get out from under the truck, pop my hood, and pour the new oil in. I start my truck, reset the oil life on my dashboard, and just like that, I’m done! It’s a super simple process, it doesn’t require many tools, and there are tons of tutorials online to help walk you through it if you need help!

The confidence I have gained has been extremely beneficial too. I’ve changed my battery, changed my air filter, and replaced burnt-out brake light bulbs, just to name a few other things I’ve learned how to do to maintain my truck. Life skills like this are transferable and can save you so much money in the long run instead of paying a skilled tradesperson to do it for you!

However, with the landscape of jobs rapidly changing, in fact the World Economic Forum is talking about a fourth industrial revolution! It can be hard to figure out a career path when you’re not sure if you’re guaranteed a job down the line.  

Based on predictions for the World Economic Forum, these will be some of the in-demand jobs in STEM and the Skilled Trades by 2025. 

Statistician 

One of the fastest growing jobs is a statistician. If you like working with numbers, studying for a degree in statistics or mathematics is a great place to start. In fact, statisticians have one of the highest paying jobs for Gen Z. 

Wind Turbine Service Technician 

If you want to get into a trade, but you’re interested in the environment as well, you should consider becoming a wind turbine technician. It’s one of the best environmental jobs as the world moves toward renewable energy, making it one of the jobs of the future.  
 

Solar Photovoltaic Installer 

Speaking of the environment – there’s a growing demand for sustainable buildings, which means a demand for solar panels as well. Solar photovoltaic installers are one of the fastest-growing jobs for the next decade or so 

App Developer 

With the rate of technological advances, eventually there will be an app for everything! Therefore, app developers have one of the best careers for the future.  

Auditor 

As long as there’s money, businesses are going to need to account for what they make and spend. Auditors will continue to be in demand to check financial statements.  

Computer and Information Systems Managers 

By 2025, it will be almost impossible to find a business that doesn’t use some kind of computer system. Computer and information systems managers help companies decide on the computer-related systems they need. Getting into a tech-related program in school is the way to go. 

Construction Manager 

With new infrastructure and upgrades to existing infrastructure, construction managers will remain in demand. If you’re great at overseeing projects and multitasking, this is the job for you! 

Learn more about upcoming and in demand jobs here in our career guide