\u201cWhen I initially started my application, I didn\u2019t choose Heavy Equipment,\u201d she says. \u201cI was more interested in becoming an Automotive Service Technician. If I didn\u2019t do this, I probably would\u2019ve never known what my options were. This was a way to dip my toes in the water and make sure I was making the right choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By August, Nadya had hit her stride. Her skills were growing\u2014and so was her confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI felt very different since the last time [we spoke],\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve made a lot more progress. It\u2019s a cool job, I like it. I\u2019ve learned how to do inspections, change tires, what to look for when something\u2019s wrong on a truck or sweeper.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Nadya, the transformation wasn\u2019t just technical. \u201cTo get that experience, you have to be open to learning. You have to let go of the fear. Ask questions. Even if you fail first, you can always try again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That mindset is exactly what the City of Edmonton hopes to foster in the next generation of trades professionals. Dan Bergeron, Facility Supervisor for the City, sees RAP as a critical investment\u2014not only in youth, but in the future of the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t hire students to sweep floors for seven months\u2014that\u2019s not exposure to the trade,\u201d says Bergeron, who has been recruiting RAP students for four years. \u201cExposure to the trade is actually performing work: using the wrenches, doing repairs, hooking up the laptop, doing diagnostics. That\u2019s how they get a real understanding of the trade and figure out if it\u2019s something they want to pursue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That hands-on experience has had a lasting impact on Nadya. By February 2025, reviewing a video of her past interviews brought out a moment of reflection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLooking back at it was a very \u2018awe\u2019 moment. At that time, I had nothing in my life planned,\u201d she says. \u201cMy confidence grew more as I experienced the job and put myself out there. Back then, I was like, \u2018Oh, I won\u2019t ever be able to do this or get that far.\u2019 And now that I\u2019ve accomplished it, it\u2019s like\u2014anything is truly possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the City of Edmonton, youth like Nadya are exactly why the program matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.careersnextgen.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Nadya-looking-at-clips.png\")
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