Try-A-Trade®

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Ever wanted to try to make something that would show up in a movie, animation or video game? Now’s your chance! Use the computer provided and follow the instructions on the table to build your very own snowman from digital clay. When you’re done we will make sure to showcase your work on our large screen collage!

European Institute of Esthetics (EIE Training Centre) – Try-A-Trade® Experience

Kick off your Try-A-Trade® at the Tiny Tattoos station with EIE Training Centre, where students discover the wide range of treatments, services, and career pathways the esthetics industry has to offer — from advanced skincare and clinical treatments to creative specialties like lash, brow, and nail artistry. This interactive station highlights esthetics as a dynamic, professional career while letting participants choose a tiny tattoo (temporary) to have applied, making learning hands-on, creative, and unforgettable.

From there, students can move into the Skincare & Skin Analysis Lab at EIE Training Centre, the core experience that shows why skin is the foundation for almost every esthetic treatment. Participants learn basic skin analysis, explore professional tools, and gain insight into their own skin — building confidence while discovering how skincare is the stepping stone for many esthetic careers.

Each guided experience at EIE Training Centre lasts 2–8 minutes and is designed for safe, high-energy, high-flow participation.

Ever dream of your perfect home floorplan? Make your dreams a reality with an interactive Architectural Technology software demonstration!

Ever wondered how dents magically disappear from cars? Now’s your chance to try it yourself! Using the Glue Pulling Repair (GPR) method, you’ll work with a hot glue gun, plastic tabs, and specialty pullers to remove dents from steel and aluminum panels—just like the pros in the auto repair industry.

We’ve got protective gloves ready for those using the glue gun, so you can get hands-on with confidence. No experience needed—just bring your skills and see if you’ve got what it takes to restore a smooth, dent-free surface!

Cupcake Frosting!

Taste test your skills at frosting a brownie! Learn how to properly hold a piping bag and how to properly use frosting. 

Ever wondered how your car stops? Get hands-on with real brake parts—rotors, pads, and calipers—and see how it all works together to keep you safe.

Test it out, explore how technicians check for wear, and discover what it takes to keep vehicles road-ready. Think you’ve got what it takes to be an automotive pro? Come find out!

The People’s Wall

Try your hand at laying some bricks and place your brick along The People’s Wall!  

Get hands-on with carpentry and create your very own custom keychain! Learn how to measure like a pro, use a mitre box and saw with precision, and see how math (fractions, measurements, and shapes) comes to life in the trades.

Gear up with safety glasses and gloves, and put your skills to the test—can you build it just right?

Ready to spark something new? Step into our booth for a hands-on taste of the trades—try a welding experience, then jump into building with purpose alongside our community partner Sleep in Heavenly Peace. You’ll get to tackle real hands-on activities like drilling or assembling headboards and footboards or put your welding skills to the test and try running a clean consistent weld bead. At Graham Construction we believe in a collaborative culture and innovative solutions. See how skilled trades can create a real impact in your community.

Welding
Welders join or sever metals in beams, girders, vessels, piping and other metal components, make metal parts used in construction and manufacturing plants, and weld parts, tools, machines, and equipment. Welding usually involves applying heat to metal pieces to melt and fuse them together. Welders use different welding processes and fillers depending upon the type of metal, its size and shape, and requirements for finished product strength. Participants will learn how to weld a small diameter pipe.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) Bed Build

Our organization collaborates regularly with Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) to continue to create an impact in community with bed building and deliveries throughout Alberta. Over the last three years we have been able to build over 200 beds to support the ever-growing list that SHP sees on a regular basis. Through bed build days we collaborate with other pre-apprenticeship participants, Graham & SHP team members to network, educate and give back to community.

Ever wanted to create something you can actually use every day? Now’s your chance! Using the tools and materials provided, you’ll craft your very own wooden whistle with guidance from our team. Once you’re finished, you’ll have a unique, handcrafted piece you can take home and show off!

The Canadian Armed Forces utilizes some of the largest, heaviest and highest tech equipment in the country, all which has to be operated and maintained by highly qualified operators and technicians.

The Canadian Armed Forces will be featuring equipment from the Army, Navy, and Air Force with technicians from a wide variety of military occupations including Vehicle Mechanics, Marine Technicians and Aviation Systems Technicians.  Technicians will be showcasing equipment and maintenance activities on various items of military gear and, along with demonstrations, there will be videos and 3D virtual reality tours of our naval ships as well as other large vehicles on display enabling you to truly experience the Canadian Armed Forces.

Come by and talk to our military technical experts, they will be happy to answer all your questions.

Try a virtual paint sprayer to get the feel of what Car Painters do on a daily. 

The Carpenters Regional Council (CRC) Try‑A‑Trade®  puts you in the driver’s seat of the skilled trades! Design and cut your own wooden project using real tools like a scroll saw, sander, and drill — then take it home as proof of what you can build. Climb, cross, and explore our scaffold structure for a hands‑on look at working at heights, and try your hand at floor covering installation by completing a linoleum seam. Build skills, test your talent, and discover a trade that could shape your future.

Explore the world of carpentry through a fun, hands-on activity. Try using tools, work with materials, and see what it’s like to create something with your hands. No experience needed, just curiosity and a willingness to try something new.

Think you’ve got what it takes to be part of an elite pit crew? Now’s your chance to prove it! In this fast-paced challenge, you and your team will race against the clock to change a tire, just like the pros do in a high-speed pit stop.

Gear up with safety equipment (steel toe covers, smocks, gloves, and safety glasses) and get hands-on experience using a power impact wrench. It’s all about speed, precision, and teamwork—can you handle the pressure? Put the pedal to the metal and see if your crew can claim the fastest pit stop title

Thomas Skinner will have a desktop CNC mini mill for students to try their hands at the world of machining!

Step into the fast-paced world of collision repair and automotive refinishing with CARSTAR! At our interactive booth, you’ll roll up your sleeves and get hands-on with real car parts—prepping bumpers, panels, and door frames just like a pro auto body technician.

Learn the art of sanding, cleaning, and masking, and discover why prepping is the key to a perfect paint job. Watch live demos, try professional tools, and chat with industry experts about exciting careers in auto body repair, refinishing, and estimating.

Plus, you’ll leave with a swag bag and a chance to win in our raffle! Whether you’re curious about cars or serious about a future in the trades, this is your chance to explore a career that’s all about precision, passion, and transformation.

Wondering what it’s like on a construction site? Check out the PCL Construction Try-A-Trade to try out our VR “walk through” of a hospital construction site. The PCL Try-A-Trade® is a way of engaging students, transporting them to a construction site experience the skills and job activities at our company. The PCL Try-A-Trade® opens minds, breaks barriers, and demonstrates enthusiasm and professionalism that leaves a lasting impression—fueling students’ desire to branch out and explore the endless career opportunities available to them.

We will also have a friendly nail driving competition for students to match their skills against one of their friends. This competition will provide a hands-on experience using construction tools and materials.  

Create Mini Sushi Rolls
Roll up your sleeves and dive into the art of sushi! In this hands-on session, you’ll learn how to craft your very own mini sushi rolls

Spark creativity and use the Electrical trade to create Twirling Polar Dancers and Index Card Flashlights.

Do you have an eye for design and dream of creating eye catching and trend making original pieces that everyone wants to be wearing? Come and try your hand at the MC College Fashion Design and Apparel production booth using recycled materials to create your first masterpiece.

Have you ever dreamt of working for yourself in a booming and ever evolving industry where you can use your passion to create a successful career? Become the next hairstylist and start your future in the beauty industry! Come test out your styling skills alongside our talented instructors learning the ins and outs of Up do styles, heated styling and braiding techniques. 

Step into our fashion fusion! Our gallery fashion show and DIY dressmaking activity combine the elegance of a runway presentation with the hands-on excitement of participating in the crafting of a collaborative garment.

Have you ever wondered how to build an electrical circuit? Finning’s Try-A-Trade® will test the hand skills of participants of all ages. Working alongside professional students will be able to connect up a simple series, parallel circuit to switch on a light and horn.

Glazier: Ever wonder what a glazier does? Now’s your chance to try firsthand the glazing trade of working with glass. You’ll get to create and take home your very own Inukshuk made of glass. 

Roofer: Explore new heights in the trade of roofing! We’ll have shingles ready to be stapled onto a makeshift roof. 

Power Line Technician: Learn how communities are powered with the Powerline Technician trade. You will have the opportunity to make a powerline technician button and check out the tools and personal protective equipment that powerline technicians wear.  

Ironworker: Want to be a part of building iconic buildings and bridges? Try out a virtual reality headset to strap -in to a day in the life of an Ironworker. This workshop is hosted by the Alberta Construction Training Institute (ACTI). 

At our Try-A-Trade® booth, step into the world of the trades and put your skills to the test! In Electrical, wire up your own circuit and flip the switch to see if you can light it up like a pro. Then, head over to Pipefitting where you’ll thread and connect real steel pipes using tools of the trade. Can you build it right? Come find out! Try it out—your future might just start here!

This is your chance to learn about being a Heavy Duty Mechanic and Truck Transport Mechanic as you go through different stations including: electrical soldering, hydraulic operation, electrical testing, hand and power tool identification, and equipment displays.

Learn about and construct common electrical circuits that are used every day. Safely wire switches, receptacles, and lights on our Try-A-Trade® circuit boards. The opportunity to prepare yourself for a career in the electrical trade can start here. Our PACT (Pre-Apprenticeship Apprenticeship Candidate Training) provides students with the knowledge and skills to begin a safe and successful career in the Electrical Trade.

It’s a race to the finish line and only your industrial control Skills will get you there! Compete in a two-player game that will advance an object by correctly inputting a sequence of button pushes.

Laser Shaft Alignment

Come and try your luck in aligning equipment, using a tablet and fun technology.

Plug into the world of IT Network Systems Administration and learn how to make ethernet cables for connecting to a wired network.

The Job Search Zone Try-a-Trade features three interactive activities that help participants build essential job-readiness skills through hands-on learning. From assembling professional interview outfits in the Attire Puzzle, to practicing structured responses with the STAR Method Match-up, and testing resume knowledge in the Resume Rumble quiz, each station offers a fun and practical way to prepare for job search – plus, participants get to spin the wheel for a small prize after completing an activity.

Step into the exciting world of advertising! Put your photography skills to the test by framing the perfect shot and capturing compelling visuals just like the pros. Or, challenge your peers in the ultimate illustration showdown to see who has the sharpest eye for design. Think you have what it takes to create something unforgettable?

Step into the world of Mechanical Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) and see your ideas come to life, literally! In this interactive Try-A-Trade, you’ll learn how to use CADD software to design a personalized, 3D mini license plate with your name on it. Once your custom creation is ready, you’ll get to watch it come to life on a 3D printer, layer by layer. It’s a perfect intro to design, engineering, and modern manufacturing, no experience needed, just your imagination!

Build A Koozie!

Cut Koozie shape out of Flat Sheet Armaflex. Glue Koozie together & leave with a bottle of water for your own Koozie! 

Ever wonder how everything gets made? By ROBOTS! Jog on over to see a miniaturized production line with a robot arm that gives out stress balls!

Bend it. Build it. Take it!

Try your hand at pipe trades by bending stainless steel and creating a crimped chain. Then switch gears to carpentry and craft your own RDP-branded coaster to take home.

Two trades, one booth—come test your skills and see what you can create!

Rozen Steelworks is partnering with Selections Career Support Services to offer a virtual experience of the world of Pipefitting. Learn to read blueprints, measure, cut, and assemble pipes. Each student will have the opportunity to learn what a pipefitter does in a typical day, all while sitting safely in a VR simulation. While you’re there, learn about the employment opportunities available at Rozen for all types of apprentices!

Hula Hoops!

A Try-A-Trade® Classic! Using standard Plumbing tools and materials to make a Hula Hoop you can hula home with!

Get ready for an energizing experience with EPCOR! Dive into the world of power, water, and wastewater utilities as you embark on thrilling activities designed just for you. Test your skills with a switching demonstration, suit up in personal protection equipment, explore weld samples, and get hands-on with electrical instrumentation and pumps. Get ready to power up your future!

Take your selfie’s to the next level with the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Trade! Use trade tools and materials to bend a copper picture frame holder, and get a selfie with an ice sculpture! Participate in a science demo as well. 

Get hands-on with the tools of the trade in this creative sheet metal! You’ll learn how to fold, and shape metal as you craft a mini version of the Province of Alberta. To make it uniquely yours, you’ll also rivet a laser-cut copper wild rose, Alberta’s provincial flower, right onto your creation. With guidance from skilled tradespeople, you’ll get a taste of precision, craftsmanship, and artistic flair all in one spot. No experience needed, just bring your curiosity and a steady hand!

Groove into the Sprinkler Systems trade by using standard tools and materials to “groove” pipe!

Do you have what it takes to be a Steamfitter/Pipefitter? Participants will learn to tie a figure eight knot around a key ring.

Get hands-on with our Instrumentation, Millwright, Electrician, and Heavy Equipment Technicians, as they demonstrate industry related tasks that you can participate in! At this booth, there will be multiple things to see and try, such as,  instrumentation tools, stainless steel bending, trying on a high voltage arc suit,  plus much more. But that’s not all—come and see the shear size of a Caterpillar 797 haul truck engine where you can learn what a Heavy Equipment Technician’s duties are in preventative maintenance and troubleshooting to keep an engine of this size running properly

Get ready to take things to new heights with Stuart Olson’s Rope Access Demo! Watch skilled professionals scale, descend, and maneuver using specialized rope techniques, just like they would on real job sites.

Step into the world of industrial bolting! Test your strength and accuracy with torque wrenches on a custom torque stand, then level up with a high-power cordless multiplier on our torque rack.

Feel the difference between low and high torque, and see how precision matters in real-world applications. Think you can handle the pressure? Give it a try!

Stop by the ECA booth to learn more about how we support students as they explore the many career opportunities available in the trades. We’ll be showcasing key initiatives such as our Speaker Series, Tools for Schools, and Honour the Work, all aimed at inspiring students, building awareness, and creating meaningful connections within the industry.

 You’ll also have the chance to hear directly from guest hosts who are actively working in the trades. They’ll be sharing their experiences, offering real-world insight, and answering any questions to help students better understand what a career in the trades can look like.

Get ready to explore four exciting trades in one interactive space! This Try-A-Trade® zone is divided into action-packed stations where you can roll up your sleeves and test out real tools and techniques from multiple skilled professions:

Glaziers – Learn how to remove stops and a pane of glass from an extruded frame like a pro.
Electricians – Wire up a switch and light in this hands-on electrical challenge.
RV Technicians – Step into a cutaway RV simulator and get a peek at the complex systems behind life on the road.

Plumbers – Try your hand at pipe crimping with a fun twist—get creative with your connections in a task that’s still being finalized!

Whether you’re into building, fixing, or problem-solving, this 4-in-1 skill zone lets you try, learn, and explore the trades up close!

A lot of work happens behind the scenes with video and audio production. Get your start with broadcast equipment demonstrations from NAIT’s Radio and Television program!

Welding is the process of fusing metal together with heat and electric current to create anything your mind can dream of, along with extensive employment opportunities in the welding trade. Students will be able to try first-hand and experience the art of welding through an augmented/virtual reality welding simulator. Realistic, innovative technology will provide students an immersive experience with welding processes at The United Association Local 488’s Try-A-Trade booth.

Ever wanted to take control of a crane or heavy equipment? Now’s your chance—no license required! Step into a VR simulation and experience what it’s like to operate massive machinery used in construction and industrial projects. Feel the thrill of lifting, moving, and maneuvering with precision, all in a safe and immersive virtual environment.

Think you have what it takes to be a pro operator? Come check us out in Hall A!

Magic 8 Ball Demonstration

A website running a virtual Magic 8 Ball, ask it a question and it will return a result.  We will provide diagrams showing the architecture as well as a general page layout.  Users will be able to view the code in a read only format.

Step into the world of welding—no sparks required! Teachers can test out the Miller MobileArc virtual welding simulator and experience how welding can be taught safely and interactively in the classroom.

Discover hands-on tools, explore career pathways in welding and materials joining, and learn about grants and programs that support your students’ success.

Come try it out and see how you can bring welding to life in your classroom!

Ready to spark something amazing? Step into the world of welding and try it for yourself! After a quick demo from our experts, you’ll get hands-on experience using the MIG welding process to create your own small weld.

Then, take it to the next level—weld your name into metal and leave your mark! With multiple welding stations set up, there’s plenty of time to learn, create, and experience the heat of the trade.

Come give it a try and see if you’ve got what it takes to be a welder!

Power up and take the driver’s seat! Try your hand at building a 12V electrical circuit—connect wires, light things up, and get small motors running while learning real-world electrical skills. Then, hop into our Class 8 truck driving simulator and see what it’s like to handle a semi on the road!

Explore construction simulations for all industries to enhance the skills of the participant in a zero harm environment.  The VR world allows the participants to be 100% engaged in the training with zero external distractions.