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World of Choices: Career readiness events for youth!
Youth across Canada become more prepared for their future as they participate in interactive events to become equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to be better prepared for the future. These events take place in two formats/styles: World of Choices Event or a Skilled Trades Summit.
World of Choices Events
These events feature multiple career disciplines and each include a minimum of three skilled trades.
Format
An in-person or virtual event which normally accommodates 50-1,000 youth (per event). Length of event may vary, but on average is at least two hours.
Agenda Topics
The agenda typically includes a workshop/panel that features transferable skills, careers in skilled trades, career profiles and labour market insights. These events also include mentor sessions and a career fair.
Volunteer Engagement
Mentors support as volunteers for roundtable sessions, a key note speaker or support tradeshow representatives.
Skilled Trades Summits
These events are hosted on-site at colleges/institutes across Canada.
Format
This is an in-person event and normally accommodates 50-100 youth per event. Typically, these are full-day events.
Agenda Topics
The agenda typically includes a transferable skills session, a panel with skilled trades subject matter experts, college workshops, pre-apprenticeship details/materials, and academic and career pathways planning tools.
Volunteer Engagements
Panel members who are skilled trades subject matter experts and volunteers to provide supervision throughout the event.
Learn more about JA Canada by watching the video above.
Impact from 2023-24 Events
55
Events Across Canada
31,000+
Students Participated
74%
of event participants agree that people from all backgrounds can be successful in the skilled trades.
81%
of event participants agree that there is value from learning from various mentors.
Volunteering with JA
By volunteering with JA, you can empower youth to reach their potential. You can do this by sharing your expertise and an experiences as a mentor. Our World of Choices events are often in need of volunteers to be career mentors or support event logistics. Volunteer needs and roles vary by date and location.
Volunteer as a Career Mentor
Our World of Choices events are successful with the support of career mentors who share their experiences and insights with event participants. Career mentors guide small groups through conversations about the value of transferable skills and how some of those are used in their own career. Mentors can also share their career path, insights on what their career is like and potential roles/responsibilities one can expect in that career.
Interested in Becoming a Career Mentor?
Please find your location on this map and reach out to your local JA event lead.
- Please Note: In some cases, volunteer screening may require an 8-week lead time (due to police screening turnaround time in some areas). If you cannot be accommodated as a volunteer this year, you’ll be invited for the future.
- When connecting with your local JA Office, please share with them your organization/company, industry, your job title/area of expertise, any past experience you have with JA, geographic parameters and/or equal interest to participate virtual vs in-person.
Volunteer with Other JA Programs
There are a variety of volunteer opportunities with JA including facilitating a program with a group or class. We provide training in advance to ensure you’re well prepared as well as any of the classroom material that you’ll need. All our programs focus on one or more of our pillars: financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. We have program options available for students in grades 3-12.
Find the website for your local JA office to learn more about opportunities in your community.
2024-2025 Event Schedule
Select a region below to see a list of World of Choices events including dates, locations and the local JA Office coordinating the event. If you’re interested in learning about one of the events or other volunteer opportunities in your region, please reach out the event lead for the local office.
Western Region: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan & Manitoba
| Date | Location | Event Type | Local JA Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 25 | British Columbia | Virtual (Zoom) | JA British Columbia |
| October 25 | British Columbia | Virtual (Zoom) | JA British Columbia |
| November 6 | Edmonton, AB | In-Person | JA Northern Alberta |
| November 11 | Edmonton, AB | In-Person | JA Northern Alberta |
| November 14 | Edmonton, AB | In-Person | JA Northern Alberta |
| November 21 | British Columbia | Virtual (Zoom) | JA British Columbia |
| February 6 | Edmonton, AB | In-Person | JA Northern Alberta |
| February 7 | Calgary, AB | Virtual (Zoom) | JA Southern Alberta |
| February 27 | Edmonton, AB | In-Person | JA Northern Alberta |
| March 14 | Calgary, AB | In-Person | JA Southern Alberta |
| March 23 | Edmonton, AB | In-Person | JA Northern Alberta |
| May 6 | Red Deer, AB | In-Person | JA Southern Alberta |
| May 13 | Balgonie, SK | In-Person | JA in Saskatchewan |
| May 14 | Balgonie, SK | In-Person | JA in Saskatchewan |
| May 15 | Balgonie, SK | In-Person | JA in Saskatchewan |
| May 23 | Calgary, AB | Virtual (Zoom) | JA Southern Alberta |
Central Region: Ontario
| Date | Location | Event Type | Local JA Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 29 | Ontario | Virtual (vFairs) | JA South Western Ontario |
| October 30 | Pickering, ON | In-Person | JA Central Ontario |
| November 5 | Peterborough, ON | In-Person | JA Northern & Eastern Ontario |
| November 7 | Ottawa, ON | Virtual | JA Ottawa |
| November 21 | Markham, ON | In-Person | JA Central Ontario |
| November 21 | Ottawa, ON | Virtual | JA Ottawa |
| November 27 | Brampton, ON | In-Person | JA Central Ontario |
| December 11 | Ottawa, ON | In-Person | JA Ottawa |
| February 18 | Cobourg, ON | In-Person | JA Northern & Eastern Ontario |
| February 24 | Cornwall, ON | In-Person | JA Northern & Eastern Ontario |
| February 25 | Pembroke, ON | In-Person | JA Northern & Eastern Ontario |
| February 26 | Brockville, ON | In-Person | JA Northern & Eastern Ontario |
| March 4 | Kingston, ON | In-Person | JA Northern & Eastern Ontario |
| March 6 | Ottawa, ON | Virtual | JA Ottawa |
| March 26 | Toronto, ON | In-Person | JA Central Ontario |
| March 19 | Ottawa, ON | Virtual | JA Ottawa |
| March 31 | Ottawa, ON | Skilled Trades Summit | JA Ottawa |
| April 3 | Chatham, ON | In-Person | JA South Western Ontario |
| April 16 | Toronto, ON | Skilled Trades Summit | JA Central Ontario |
| April 24 | Ottawa, ON | Virtual | JA Ottawa |
| May 22 | Bracebridge, ON | Skilled Trades Summit | JA Northern & Eastern Ontario |
| May 27 | Sarnia, ON | In-Person | JA South Western Ontario |
| May 27 | Toronto, ON | Skilled Trades Summit | JA Central Ontario |
Eastern Region: Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI & Newfoundland
| Date | Location | Event Type | Local JA Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1 | Quebec, QC | In-Person | JA Quebec |
| October 8 | Donnacona, QC | In-Person | JA Quebec |
| October 8 | Perth-Andover, NB | In-Person | JA New Brunswick |
| October 10 | Florenceville-Bristol, NB | In-Person | JA New Brunswick |
| October 15 | Hartland, NB | In-Person | JA New Brunswick |
| October 17 | Woodstock, NB | In-Person | JA New Brunswick |
| October 21 | Levis, QC | In-Person | JA Quebec |
| October 24 | Donnacona, QC | In-Person | JA Quebec |
| October 24 | Fredericton, NB | In-Person | JA New Brunswick |
| October 24 | Nova Scotia | Virtual (Zoom) | JA Nova Scotia |
| November 18 | Quebec, QC | In-Person | JA Quebec |
| December 5 | Fredericton, NB | In-Person | JA New Brunswick |
| December 7 | Sherbrooke, QC | In-Person | JA Quebec |
| January 15 | Levis, QC | In-Person | JA Quebec |
| January 17 | Bellechasse, QC | Virtual | JA Quebec |
| January 25 | Quebec, QC | In-Person | JA Quebec |
| February 25 | Fredericton, NB | In-Person | JA New Brunswick |
| February 28 | St-Raymond de Portneuf, QC | In-Person | JA Quebec |
| February 2025 | Charlesbourg, QC | In-Person | JA Quebec |
| May 7 | Sackville, NB | In-Person | JA New Brunswick |
| May 13 | Woodstock, NB | Skilled Trades Summit | JA New Brunswick |
| May 15 | Miramichi, NB | Skilled Trades Summit | JA New Brunswick |
| Spring 2025 | Nova Scotia | Virtual | JA Nova Scotia |
| Spring 2025 | Halifax, NS | In-Person | JA Nova Scotia |
Event Highlights
Photo Gallery: Skilled Trades Summits, 2024
Photo Credits: Garcia Creative
Social Media Highlights, 2024
Below you can find highlights from some of the 2024 events. Click on one of the items below to learn more about each of the events.
News Items
Learn more about some of the past World of Choices events with the links below.
Additional Learning for Youth
After a World of Choices event, youth can continue the learning by exploring the JA Virtual Career Exploration Centre. This is an open-access virtual platform designed for self-exploration. With a variety of learning resources, the centre is designed to help students ages 13-18 learn about trends and emerging career opportunities so they can be better informed and prepared to make decisions about their future career choices.
Supporters
World of Choices is made possible by an array of industry leaders, both local and national supporters. Join us as a sponsor/partner of World of Choices – connect with Oliver Maynard-Langedijk.
