More than 300 students wired outlets, became virtual boilermakers, used a CNC router, explored 3D printing, tested their simulated welding skills and much more at the Nuclear Innovation Institute’s (NII) ‘Built to Lead’ event hosted last week at the Grey County Sydenham Campus to inspire young women’s future careers in the skilled trades.
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Hosted by NII in partnership with Bluewater District School Board, Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board, Georgian College, Grey County Sydenham Campus and Grey Bruce Makers, the April 29th event featured 25 local unions, employers and community training organizations, offering students the chance to explore hands-on activities, meet women working in the trades, and learn about pathways into apprenticeship programs.
During the day, students visited as part of field trips arranged by regional schools while the evening open house welcomed young women and their families to explore interactive demonstrations and speak with industry representatives.
“This event is all about possibility. Whether students have always been curious about the trades or they attended because a teacher or parent nudged them through the door, NII is pleased to help introduce them to careers that offer good pay, creative challenges and the pride of building something real,” said Jessica Linthorne, NII President and CEO.“We are grateful to NII for facilitating another incredible day for students to come out and deepen their awareness and understanding of skilled trades careers and apprenticeship pathways open to them beyond secondary school,” said Sheryl Elliott, Superintendent of Education for Bluewater District School Board. “Students were excited to test drive the virtual and hands-on activity stations while putting their networking skills into practice through face-to-face conversations and connections with industry partners.”
Alex Van Wieringen, Superintendent of Education for Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board added, “The Built to Lead event offered an invaluable opportunity for our students to explore skilled trades, providing hands-on experiences and clear pathways to future careers. We extend our sincere gratitude to NII for organizing this inspiring event and thank all our partners for the successful collaboration in making this possible for our young students.”
Appreciation also goes out to the organizations that donated their time and talents to make this event possible: Bluewater District School Board, Boilermakers Local 128, Bruce County Early Learning, Bruce Power, Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board, Canadian Union of Skilled Workers, Candu Energy, The Dirty Seahorse, E.S. Fox, Fanshawe College, Georgian College, Grey Bruce Makers, Hair Connection, LiUNA 1059, Millwrights Local 1592, NAYGN, OK Tire, Owen Sound Girls’ Welding Club, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, Saugeen Sparks Training Centre, Sheet Metal Workers Local 473, Shouldice Stone, UBC Local 2222 and Women in Nuclear.
Learn more about all of NII’s work at nii.ca.
About the Nuclear Innovation Institute: The Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII) is a member-based not-for-profit organization with a vision of a Canadian landscape that celebrates an innovative nuclear industry as an integral part of the clean energy future. NII’s role driving an innovative nuclear voice, skill development and sector transformation supports members and encourages collaborative engagement with communities, industries and governments.
Learn more at nii.ca and join the conversation on LinkedIn (Nuclear Innovation Institute), Instagram (@niiatwork), and Facebook (@OntarioNII).
