As Career Trek prepares to launch programs online in the coming weeks, among a constantly changing landscape COVID-19, the program management team has had to dig deep and work harder than ever to ensure our programs are not just ready to launch, but will be the high-quality, high-impact sessions Career Trek is known for. A new facet of our program is directly connecting each of the career lessons to Manitoba Curriculum Outcomes, enabling educators to make connections between what students are learning in school and their futures.
In the coming weeks, we will launch the following programs across Manitoba:
- Wonder of Work – Winnipeg, North and West Regions
- M Power – Winnipeg and North Regions
- Get Ready to Work! – Winnipeg, North and West Regions
- C.R.A.V.E. Your Community – Winnipeg, North and West Regions
- Junior Staff Mentorship Program – Winnipeg and West Regions
As I write this, we are preparing to welcome this year’s program staff and to implement new and innovative ways to deliver our programs. We’ve been testing a variety of online platforms and looking at how they can work together to provide a well-rounded experience for participants. An exciting new addition to Career Trek’s toolkit: SparkPath Challenge Cards. The Challenge Cards are meant to encourage a ‘challenge mindset’ where students are meant to think more about real-world challenges than potential job titles.
Of course, none of the programs would be possible with our funders support. Many thanks to:
- Province of Manitoba
- Royal Bank of Canada – RBC Future Launch
- Service Canada
- Telus
- Winnipeg Foundation
We are also grateful for the many partners, particularly the many school divisions, that have opened the doors to some of their classrooms, who work with us to deliver these programs to Manitoba youth. Their willingness to make Career Trek programs part of the school day, via livestream, has made it possible for more students than ever to experience our unique career exploration lessons and workshops.
In other news, Career Trek is working with Employment and Social Development Canada, through Social Research and Demonstration Corporation, to develop comprehensive theory-of-change and evaluation frameworks. Through this partnership, Career Trek will be able to build a better foundation for increasing our reach and impact, and to better demonstrate how our work influences youth, communities, and the employment sector.
Despite the changes and challenges the pandemic has brought about, it has created the opportunity to open doors and minds to a new way of delivering Career Trek programs, enabling us to meet more students where they are and support their journey towards a rewarding and meaningful future.
Allison Kirkland
Director of Programming
[email protected]