At Rocky Mountain Equipment in Picture Butte, Alberta, hands-on experience is shaping the next generation of skilled workers. Through CAREERS: The Next Generation, students like Iain Froom are stepping into real-world workplaces, gaining valuable skills, and discovering a passion for the trades, all while businesses like RME benefit from motivated young talent.
A Streamlined Hiring Process
For Jordan Magnell, Service Manager at Rocky Mountain Equipment, one of the biggest advantages of working with CAREERS is how simple and effective the process is.
“The process that they use in pre-qualifying the students before they come across my desk was awesome,” Jordan says. “You get a chance to get a student that actually wants to work and wants to be here instead of trying out a few different students that maybe don’t want to be here. So, it’s nice to take all of that pre-qualification out of my job.”
With CAREERS connecting the right students to the right employers, companies like RME can focus on mentoring and training rather than recruiting and screening. For Jordan, that means more time spent helping students grow in their skills and confidence on the job.
Finding a Career Path
For Iain Froom, his journey with CAREERS began in high school. “It was back in grade 11, so about two years ago,” he explains. “I was in welding class(…) and CAREERS came in and explained how they help students find a position at shops in areas that they want to work. I thought that was pretty cool.”
Iain was intrigued by the chance to get real-world experience before graduating and decided to take part. That decision set him on a path that connected him with Rocky Mountain Equipment, where he quickly began applying what he was learning in a practical setting.
Hands-On Learning from Day One
Iain remembers his first day clearly. “My first day on the job, we were working on a drill that I had just showed up,” he says. “He was letting me work through some of the tasks, he’d show me what to do first on one side, and then I’d repeat it on the other side.”
That immediate hands-on approach gave Iain an early taste of what the job would be like and allowed him to start developing the skills he’d need to succeed. “A lot of this is hands-on stuff,” he says. “I learned that my work ethic makes a huge difference here.”
Watching Confidence Grow
Jordan has seen first-hand how students like Iain grow over time through their internships. “You can watch somebody that starts on their first day,” Jordan explains. “They’re shy, they’re timid, they don’t know what to do, they don’t know much. Then you fast forward six months to a year, and you see where they are now. The confidence they have built up in themselves after six months or a year of working on the job is pretty cool to see.”
That transformation is exactly what CAREERS achieves: helping students gain not only technical skills but also the confidence and independence that come with real work experience.
Connecting Back to His Roots
For Iain, the experience at Rocky Mountain Equipment has been more than just job training. It has reconnected him to memories from his childhood that helped spark his interest in this line of work.
“It has kind of connected me back to my roots when I was a kid,” Iain shares. “I’d go out to my grandparents out in Vulcan. My grandpa would pick me up and take me for tractor rides at the John Deere dealer out there.”
Those early experiences planted a seed, and working at RME has helped Iain rediscover that passion. “I think if I stayed more traditional, I wouldn’t really have been as happy as I am right now and realized how good I am with my hands,” he says.
A Great Experience for Students
Iain is quick to credit CAREERS with helping him find the right fit. “Through CAREERS, they helped find a shop that will take that time to teach you so you can learn how to do it,” he says. “I would just say that it’s a great experience.”
Being placed in a supportive environment where he could learn at his own pace and be mentored by experienced professionals gave Iain not only valuable skills but also clarity about his future career direction.
Why Youth in Trades Matter
For Jordan, hiring students through CAREERS is not just beneficial for his shop. It is also essential for the future of the industry. “Well, basically, it’s our future,” he says. “There’s a lot of stuff that we do that you can’t just learn out of a book. And as green young fellows, they do it with enthusiasm and safety and care, and it’s awesome to see.”
Trades like heavy equipment service are built on hands-on experience, and Jordan knows that creating opportunities for students to learn by doing is the best way to prepare them for the workforce.
Building Alberta’s Workforce One Student at a Time
The partnership between Rocky Mountain Equipment and CAREERS highlights the impact that work-integrated learning can have on students and employers alike. For Iain, it has provided a clear path from high school into a career he enjoys. For Jordan and his team, it has brought eager, enthusiastic learners into the shop who are ready to grow into the skilled professionals the industry needs.
By connecting classrooms to real-world job sites, CAREERS: The Next Generation is helping build both individual futures and Alberta’s workforce. As Jordan puts it, the value of programs like this cannot be overstated. With students gaining confidence and skills, and employers benefiting from motivated, work-ready youth, it is truly a win-win.
For Iain, that win has meant finding a job that connects him to his roots, showcases his strengths, and puts him on a path he is excited about. For Jordan and Rocky Mountain Equipment, it means knowing that the next generation of skilled workers is ready and capable. “It’s awesome to see,” says Jordan.
