Careers

09/22/2026

"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien wrote it. Dr. Candy Ho would say the same goes for career planning.

Her "wisdom of indecision" is the idea that not knowing exactly what comes next isn't a problem as long as you're still moving. Talk to people. Follow your curiosity. Try things. Keep your eyes open for the next right step.

A good reminder for any young person feeling pressure to have it all figured out, and honestly for the rest of us too.

Watch the full conversation here: https://youtu.be/RTiFPvPbh7Q

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

09/17/2026

Most adults aren't doing what they thought they'd be doing at 16.

Dr. Candy Ho makes a simple point: career paths have never been especially straight, and the next generation may see even more change. The better goal isn't a plan. It's the confidence and skills to make good decisions as options change.

Watch the full conversation here: https://youtu.be/RTiFPvPbh7Q

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

09/15/2026

A career influencer doesn't have to be a career counsellor.

Dr. Candy Ho's point in this clip is a simple one, but it lands. The people who shape how a young person sees their future aren't always the obvious ones. It might be a teacher who notices what a student is good at, a parent asking better questions, or a school custodian who takes the time to talk.

Most of them never realize the impact they're having.

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Amazon Music.
📲 Full Episode: https://www.careersnextgen.ca/podcast/



Kwantlen Polytechnic University

09/15/2026

Young people are often asked to choose a career before they've had much chance to discover what fits. Dr. Candy Ho thinks the pressure to have it all figured out early may be doing more harm than good.

Candy is a Chancellor's Chair at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and an internationally recognized career development scholar. She joins Stacey on Take on the Future to talk about why uncertainty can be a useful thing, how employers can help young workers recognize the skills they already bring, and what a changing workforce means for career education.

She also shares her work on green workforce transformation and makes a case that has stuck with us: a career isn't a single decision you make when you're young. It's something you continue to navigate.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Amazon Music.
https://youtu.be/RTiFPvPbh7Q

09/10/2026

"What do you want to do after high school?"

Mike Holmes Jr. thinks that's the question we should be asking. Not simply, "Which university are you going to?" University is one path. The skilled trades are another. And as Mike puts it: "Trades ARE a first choice."

Watch the full conversation with Mike and Ian MacFayden on Take on the Future.

🔗 Link in bio.

09/08/2026

09/08/2026

We made this summer! Let's catch up with Didsbury High School grade 11 student Jaxon J.

Jaxon gained work experience at the Didsbury Library, a place he already knew well after volunteering there last summer and spending time as a regular at the library's D&D nights.

Jaxon helped organize and run programming for kids aged five to 12, with programming held three days a week. Tuesdays were for setup, and Wednesday through Friday he was responsible for a group of students. Programming was nearly full this summer, with about 40 kids a day, and the library expected 900 to 1,000 visits over the summer.

"Working with people is good experience, and I want a broad range of skills," Jaxon said. He added that the environment was his favourite part of the job, crediting the many good people he got to work alongside. His supervisor, Trish Murphy, made the experience even better. Jaxon described her as supportive and fun to work with.

Jaxon was the first official work experience student the library has hired, and staff are excited to bring on more students in the future. The library hires two students out of high school each year and is hiring again this fall.

This placement was made possible through Careers, a not-for-profit organization that partners with Chinook's Edge to guide youth into successful career pathways.

09/08/2026

😂 Apparently electricians don't clean up after themselves.

At least according to Red Seal Carpenter Ian MacFayden. Though he is willing to be somewhat flexible on that point.

Mike Holmes Jr. has heard the electricians' side of the story and admits they may have a point.

Just a little trades-to-trades chirping from Episode 5 of Take On The Future.

🎧 https://www.careersnextgen.ca/podcast/

09/03/2026

🔨 Want to stand out when you are starting in the trades? Start with the basics.

Show up on time. Work hard. Be willing to learn. Show your employer that investing in you was a good decision.

Mike Holmes Jr. and Ian MacFayden have both built careers in the trades from the ground up, and their advice for young people just getting started is refreshingly simple. As Ian puts it, that approach "can change your entire career trajectory."

Know a young person starting out in the trades? Tag them in the comments. 👇🎧

🎧 https://www.careersnextgen.ca/podcast/

09/03/2026

💡 Sometimes a bad leader teaches you just as much as a good one.

Mike Holmes Jr. shares a piece of advice from a mentor that has stayed with him throughout his entire career.

"When you're in their position, don't make the people under you feel the way you feel right now."

It is one of those lines that is so simple it almost catches you off guard. But it sticks. Hear more from Mike and Ian MacFayden in Episode 5 of Take On The Future. 🎧

🎧Find the full episode here: https://www.careersnextgen.ca/podcast/