More than 1,350 students from Lloydminster and surrounding communities packed the 2026 Bi-Provincial Try a Trade Career Expo earlier this month, at times so densely that navigating between exhibits meant weaving through clusters of teenagers getting their first look at what a career in the trades could mean.
The annual event, organized by the Lloydminster Construction Association (LCA), gives students hands-on time with trades ranging from welding and electrical work to heavy equipment operation, plumbing, carpentry, automotive, and power engineering. Vendors were busy throughout the day.
Frank Tremmel, owner of Precision Contractors, brought a large piece of roadwork equipment to the floor and had students climbing in and out of the cab.
His message was pretty straightforward, start at the bottom, put in the work, and operating a machine like the one on the floor was a real possibility.
It is the kind of offer that cuts through the noise of a career fair. Not a pamphlet. Not a website. A machine you can climb into, and a business owner telling you there is a path forward.
Not every student arrived with their mind made up. One teen, passing an exhibit midway through the morning, said she wasn’t sure a trade was for her but was glad to be out exploring her options.
That openness is exactly what organizers say they are trying to reach.
Dorothy Carson, Executive Director of the LCA, said awareness remains the single biggest barrier keeping youth out of the trades.
“Many students and parents are still unfamiliar with the wide range of modern, high-tech, and well-paying opportunities available in the skilled trades,” Carson said.
“There can also be misconceptions that trades are a ‘second choice,’ when in reality they offer excellent career stability, entrepreneurship opportunities, and strong earning potential.”
Even the Canadian Armed Forces had a presence at the expo, and brought hardware to match. Recruiters set up a simulator showing what it looks like to operate a weapon system on top of an armoured vehicle, drawing steady attention from students throughout the day.
Recruiters noted that enrolment has risen across the forces and said their goal at events like Try a Trade is as much about education as it is about signing people up.
The demand behind the expo is real. Carson said employers across the region are struggling to keep pace with retirements and growing industry need.
“Many employers across our region continue to face challenges recruiting skilled trades workers, particularly as experienced workers retire and industry demand continues to grow,” she said.
Attendance this year came in at approximately 1,350, down from a record high of more than 1,700 in 2024, though the LCA says participation has remained strong year over year.
The organization does not formally track whether participants go on to apprenticeships or employment, but Carson said industry partners and schools regularly pass along success stories connected to the event.
Her vision for the next five years centres on deepening those connections, not just getting more students through the door, but changing how parents and educators think about trades as a career path.
“Success in five years would mean continued growth in student participation, even stronger industry involvement, and more young people confidently pursuing careers in the skilled trades,” Carson said.
