Area elementary students explore variety of trades during Epic Job Fair in May

BRANTFORD (May 26, 2023) – About 1,600 elementary school students from across the Grand Erie region got to try their hand at skilled trades during the Epic Jobs 2023 event held on May 24.

Grade 7 and 8 students received some hands-on, valuable life skill experience tackling a variety of trades set up to introduce the students to welding, fuse copper pipe together, learn how to use a nail gun, build a cement block wall, operate an excavator, work with sheet metal and more Students also had an opportunity to have their hair braided, sit in the cab of a $1 million piece of forestry equipment, try a police obstacle course, dress up as a fire fighter, and meet paramedics.

Epic Jobs featured more than 40 businesses and organizations who showcased their careers at the event, held inside and outdoors at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre in Brantford.

Students from the Grand Erie District School Board, Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board and independent Six Nations schools were bused in for the day-long event.

“It was incredible to see how excited kids were trying out the different interactive activities and talking with trades people,” said Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie, one of the lead organizers. “At the same time, the businesses were excited to share their passion for the trades and explain what great career options they have.”

The Workforce Planning Board is one of 26 nonprofit organizations in Ontario that play a leadership role in labour force planning. This is one of many events they host to bolster workforce opportunities in Brant-Brantford.

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It was the first time since 2019 that Epic Jobs was held in person since the pandemic forced the cancellation of live events. Epic Jobs was first held in 2017.

“The purpose of Epic Jobs is to open the eyes of students to the trades and plant a seed that may grow into a career down the road,” Dalton said. “For the majority of students, it was their first time working with their hands or meeting a trades person ”

Dalton said that there’s a shortage of workers in many trades and that shortage will continue for years to come as more trades people retire

“What students learned at Epic Jobs could inspire their choices for high school courses and their careers after graduating. There’s a huge need for trades people and job training programs to help people to get into the trades

“We are very thankful to all our exhibitors. They generously put in lots of time, effort and expense to give students an experience to remember”

The event wouldn’t be possible without the organization and collaboration of the Grand Erie District School Board, Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board, the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) operated by both school boards, Organized Kaos and the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie

The Epic Job Fair welcomed over 1,000 students on May 24th giving them an introduction to a variety of trades such as operating heavy equipment (excavator) at the Conestoga College booth or using hand tools, like a nail gun at the Organized Kaos booth.

THANK-YOU, EPIC JOB FAIR Sponsors

and exhibitors

*Brant Community Foundation

*Enterprise Brant

*Simply Electric

*Sunbelt Equipment Rentals

*Stelco

*LiUNA Local 837

*Organized Kaos

*United Association Local 67 – Plumbers, Steamfitters & Welders

*Ogwehoweh Skills and Trades Training Centre

*County of Brant Economic Development and Tourism

*City of Brantford

*Rassaun Services Inc.

*Walters Inc.

*Tigercat Industries

*Stubbe’s

*Toyota

*Shallow Creek Academy of Hair Design

*Conestoga College

*Fanshawe College

*Sheet Metal Workers & Roofers Local 537

*Brotherhood of International Boiler Makers

*Niagara Peninsula Aboriginal Area Management Board (NPAAMB)

*St. Leonard’s Community Services

*Six Nations Polytechnic

*Brantford Fire Department

*Brantford Police Service

*Brant-Brantford Paramedic Services

*City of Brantford EarlyON Child Care Centres

*Fanshawe Community Career and Employment Services

*AgScape

*GrandBridge Energy

*OYAP

*SHSM

*B.N.C. Crane Service

*Women’s Trucking Federation

*KickAss Careers/Helmets to Hardhats

*Bowman Precision Tooling

*Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 95

*Support Ontario Youth

*Orion Dairy

Submitted photos -

*Construction Training & Apprenticeship Ontario *Bobcat