Families in New Hamburg, Ontario, can join a free online speaker series hosted by Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School (located in Baden and serving New Hamburg) to learn about careers in the skilled trades. The program, created for students in Grades 7 through 12, aims to help young people understand good-paying job opportunities in fields like construction and manufacturing before they choose their high school courses.
The school is working with the Business and Education Partnership of Waterloo Region (BEP) to connect students directly with local professionals and career advisors. These sessions focus on Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program pathways — Ministry-approved programs that let students earn sector-recognized certifications and training while completing their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
According to the Waterloo Region District School Board: “Skilled tradespeople are highly trained professionals who get to solve new problems every day, work as part of a team and build, fix and design things we need and use every day.” The series highlights careers in sectors such as construction, transportation and health, where the region and province report high demand for new workers.
Waterloo-Oxford has a long history of supporting technical trades and currently offers SHSMs and specialized training in Construction, Transportation, Health & Wellness and Arts & Culture. Parents and students can register for upcoming sessions through the school website (wod.wrdsb.ca) or via the Business and Education Partnership website (bepwr.ca); individual events require registration and typically use a Google Form, with recordings available to registrants.
