On Thursday, April 29, YMCA Academy students attended our annual Career Day event. Seven rooms were set up, each themed around a different field: youth work, media and creative industries, trades and hands-on work, toy making, emergency services, health care, and health and fitness.
The day began with students gathering in the cafeteria to review the schedule, set expectations, and explore what a “career” really means. While a career can be understood as a long-term professional journey made up of connected roles and experiences, it’s also about how someone spends their time working, learning, and contributing to the world. It involves balancing many factors—money, health, meaning, learning, creativity, and rest. Students were also reminded that no two career paths are the same. Each person has unique interests, ways of learning, and needs, which shape their individual journey. Paths are often non-linear, and while there may be challenges along the way, resilience and support can help us move forward.
We were fortunate to welcome fourteen generous guests, including acclaimed writer and musician Dave Bidini, who shared their time and experiences with our students. Throughout the morning, students heard from four different speakers. Guests shared about their roles, paths that led them there, skills required, the most rewarding and challenging aspects of their work, and advice they would give their high school selves. Students also had the chance to participate in hands-on activities, such as using a thermal camera, practicing using assistive tools like dressing aids and exploring a variety of super cool toys designed and engineered by the toy makers.
The final half hour was dedicated to networking! Students could connect more deeply with a guest who interested them or meet speakers they hadn’t yet heard from. Some students even requested guest email addresses to stay in touch or in case they had further questions. The centre space was lively, and it was great to see students introducing themselves and asking thoughtful questions like, “How did you find yourself in this job?” and “What can I start doing now to get there?”.
Overall, the morning was a great success. We’re very grateful to all our guests for sharing their insights and inspiration, and we look forward to next year’s event!