NAIT celebrates Apprenticeship Day with skilled trades showcase event for students

A high school student is exploring carpentry as a skilled trade during NAIT's Next in Trades event, on Sept. 22, 2025. (Cam Wiebe/CTV News Edmonton)

NAIT is helping students and youth explore careers in trades as the polytechnic celebrates Apprenticeship Day on Monday.

The Next in Trades event, hosted at NAIT’s main campus, gives students a chance to participate in hands-on workshops in various fields being taught at the institution.

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More than 140 students attending the event can sit in on speaking panels and try out different jobs including, but not limited to:

• electrician;
• carpenter;
• heavy equipment technician;
• insulator; and
• ironworker.

Josh Boyd, the Office of Apprenticeship’s director, told CTV News Edmonton the importance of creating awareness of career possibilities for high school students.

“(Next in Trades) is just about providing the opportunity and letting high school kids really understand what the trades is all about, and really putting some context to really the different programs that we operate,” Boyd said Monday.

According to Boyd, the average age of students starting a skilled trade is decreasing, indicating more high school graduates are entering the trades earlier.

“The average age used to be 28 … Now we’re seeing that trending more towards 27,” Boyd said.

Grade 10 school student Liam Caseber said becoming a carpenter has been top of mind when choosing potential careers after graduation.

He said he jumped at the opportunity to learn more about what becoming a carpenter entails.

“It’s super cool to learn what everybody does here, and I’m super excited to learn more about this and get ready for later in my life,” Caseber told CTV News Edmonton.

“I’m hoping that this will help me find out how the trades work, and so I better understand it once I’m old enough to actually participate,” he added.

NAIT trains more than 10,000 apprentices, trades and technology diploma students every year, making it the largest skilled trades provider in Alberta.

For more information on the event, visit NAIT’s website.