This program is tuition-free, students will be provided with personal protective equipment and any supplies that is required for training. Participants will have the opportunity to gain hands-on carpentry skills while building a high-efficiency small home for the community.

Program participants will also:

• Develop career skills to succeed in the trades.
• Be academically prepared for and write the carpenter apprenticeship entrance exam.
• Gain extensive hands-on experience in carpentry and residential construction.

Eligibility:

• Member of Chipewyan Prairie First Nation.
• Minimum grade 9 and ability to pass a basic math & reading assessment.
• Ready, willing, and able to work in the trades.

To Apply:

Please contact the Trade Winds office at 780-471-9100 to be signed up for an information session.

Please apply as soon as possible to ensure sufficient time to complete the application process.

Upcoming Info Sessions:

• TBA

In partnership with:

This program will run in Edmonton, AB, from September 28, 2026 to January 15, 2027.

Participants will be given the opportunity to:

• Learn essential career skills to succeed in the trades.
• Be academically prepared for the electrician apprenticeship entrance exam.
• Gain extensive hands-on experience with electrical shop projects.
• Receive support as needed throughout the program to ensure successful program completion.
• Receive employment support services upon graduation.

Materials and PPE required for training will be provided by Trade Winds.

Eligibility:

• First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women
• Minimum 18 years of age
• Minimum grade 9 and ability to pass a basic math and reading assessment
• Ready, willing, and able to work in the electrical trade

To Apply:

Please register to attend an upcoming information session by contacting our office at 780-471-9100 or edmonton@twts.ca.

Please apply before August 28th to ensure you have sufficient time to complete the application process.

Upcoming Online Info Sessions:

By appointment only:

• Tuesdays (In-Person) 10:30 am
• Wednesdays (Online) 10:30 am

See what our students had to say about the program:

Partners:

This program is tuition-free, and students will be provided with any supplies and PPE that is required for training. Participants will have the opportunity to gain hands-on carpentry skills while building a high-efficiency small home for the community.

Program participants will also:

• Learn essential skills to succeed in the trades.
• Be academically prepared for and write the carpenter apprenticeship entrance exam.
• Gain extensive hands-on experience in carpentry and residential construction.
• Be given a basic tool kit at graduation.

Eligibility:

• Member of Bighorn 144A and eligible to attend training under the community’s policies.
• Minimum grade 9 and ability to pass a basic math & reading assessment.
• Ready, willing, and able to work in the trades.

To Apply:

Please contact the Trade Winds office at 780-471-9100 to be signed up for an information session.

Please apply as soon as possible to ensure sufficient time to complete the application process.

Upcoming Info Sessions:

• TBA

In partnership with:

The Gala marked an incredible milestone and honoured all those who have shaped Trade Winds into what it is today—our students and alumni, as well as the employers, unions, and partners who believed in our vision from the very beginning.

“From our roots in Edmonton and Calgary, we’ve expanded to reach communities from Saddle Lake to Siksika, Grande Prairie to Lethbridge, and everywhere in between. Along the way, we’ve built more than training—we’ve built homes, hope, and a sense of belonging.”

Shannon McCarthy
Executive Director of Trade Winds to Success Training Society

To guide guests through the evening, we were honoured to have long-time Trade Winds supporter Lance Cardinal as our emcee. The program featured rich cultural performances, including prayers and stories from Elders, fiddle music by Colten Bear accompanied by guitarist Laura Wallbank, and the Abraham Lake drumming group representing both Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 territories.

As the night continued, guests were treated to special performances from the elegant Inuit throat singers Jana Angulalik and Brittney Porter; Cikwes, a brilliant soul singer and drummer from Bigstone Cree Nation who was a recent JUNO-nominee, classical vocalist Mary Stinchcombe; and internationally acclaimed hoop dancer Dallas Arcand Jr.

Throughout the evening, stories were shared celebrating the remarkable achievements of Trade Winds alumni stories of determination, resilience, and success that highlighted the profound impact of the program. These testimonials served as powerful reminders of the difference that mentorship, opportunity, and community support can make in shaping futures.

For Trade Winds, this was a night to remind students, staff, alumni, employers, unions, and partners how important they are in our mission to build a legacy that will be felt for generations to come.

Thank You

A heartfelt thank you to our generous sponsors, whose support made this unforgettable evening possible:

TC Energy – Presenting Sponsor

UA Local 488 – Catering Sponsor

Building Trades of Alberta – Emcee and Special Entertainment Sponsor

UBC Millwright Local 1460 – Cultural Entertainment Sponsor

Chemco – Name Badge Sponsor

Dow – Mocktail Sponsor

 Canada’s energy and economic future depends on the people with the skills to build the projects we need. This announcement demonstrates how the new federal government is investing in new economic opportunities for Indigenous and other Canadians that will get construction projects built, growing the economy while cutting pollution.”

The Honourable Tim Hodgson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

“As the world shifts toward clean energy, Canada is moving with purpose to grow a competitive, sustainable economy and build on our record as a global leader in energy efficiency. That means accelerating solutions—like green buildings—that lower emissions and improve affordability at the same time.”

Corey Hogan
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and MP for Calgary

Investing in Indigenous Skills and Communities

With $651,000 in additional funding (for a total of $783,588), Trade Winds will be able to grow its Residential Construction Program in Edmonton and expand its outreach training across Alberta. For our students, this means more opportunities to learn hands-on skills in carpentry, framing, and energy-efficient construction. For our communities, it means more homes built, more local training delivered, and more pathways into the trades for Indigenous learners.

Already, communities like Elizabeth Métis Settlement, Fishing Lake Métis Settlement, and East Prairie Métis Settlement have hosted training programs, giving students the chance to learn close to home while directly contributing to their own community’s housing needs. Over the next two years, more Indigenous communities will be able to access these training opportunities, bringing skills and housing solutions where they are needed most.

Learning by Building EcoSmart Homes

This funding will enable Trade Winds students to contribute to the construction of 15 EcoSmart homes. These homes are designed to be affordable and energy-efficient, lowering costs for families while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For students, every wall built and every nail hammered becomes part of their education and part of a sustainable future.

The Bigger Picture

For Trade Winds, this is about more than just houses, it’s about creating opportunities. Opportunities for Indigenous people to train, to work, and to thrive. Opportunities for Indigenous communities to reduce housing shortages and embrace sustainable building practices. And opportunities for Canada’s workforce to grow stronger, more diverse, and more inclusive.

Trade Winds to Success delivers comprehensive pre-apprenticeship training, employment support, and hands-on learning in residential carpentry as well as commercial and industrial trades for Indigenous students in Alberta.

Our programs provide the technical skills, certifications, and confidence needed to launch meaningful, sustainable careers—while fostering pride in culture and community.

This year, we maintained a steady stream of graduates stepping into apprenticeships and trade-focused employment—ready to contribute their skills across Alberta’s construction and industrial sectors.

Highlights from the Year

• Consistent career launches — Participants continued to move into apprenticeships and employment within residential carpentry and commercial/industrial trades, applying their skills in real-world settings.
• Accessible training in communities — Our outreach programming continued to expand, bringing training directly to communities and reducing the financial and logistical barriers of relocation.
• Eco-Smart Residential Construction — Students gained valuable hands-on experience by building energy-efficient homes designed to benefit Indigenous communities in Alberta—earning accredited first-year apprenticeship hours in the process.

Empowering Indigenous Albertan Women in the Trades

A key focus of our work is breaking barriers for Indigenous Albertan women, who remain significantly underrepresented in the skilled trades. Across Canada, women make up only about 4% of the construction workforce, with even lower representation in other trades—Trade Winds is helping to change that.

Our Women in Trades initiative provides:

• Practical, hands-on training in high-demand trades such as carpentry, electrical, and welding.
• Financial and personal support, including tools, training coverage, and career guidance.
• Mentorship and peer community, connecting Indigenous women with each other and with industry professionals.
• Direct employment pathways, facilitating apprenticeships and job opportunities post-training.

The program is transforming lives, with powerful stories from participants like:

• Ladaria Scott, who says her welder pre-apprenticeship was “a long-awaited blessing… helped me finally get my foot in the door.”
• Agathe-Mae Steinhauer, now a carpenter apprentice: “I never knew I could swing a hammer… hired on as a first-year carpenter apprentice.”
• Tiffany Wapass, welding apprentice, whose confidence “skyrocketed” after receiving that “blue book”—proof of what’s possible.

More Than Skills — A Pathway to Opportunity

At Trade Winds to Success, we believe our impact goes far beyond technical training. We’re enabling:

• Long-term employment and economic security, through community-rooted apprenticeships.
• Individual empowerment and confidence, especially for women overcoming barriers.
• Community growth and industry innovation, building a stronger, more inclusive trades workforce in Alberta.

As you explore our 2024 Annual Report, you’ll see the tangible results of these training pathways and the real wins—both personal and community-wide—that come from investing in Indigenous Albertans. Together with our partners, sponsors, and supporters, we’re doing more than teaching trades—we’re shaping tomorrow’s success.

 Read the full 2024 Annual Report here → Online Flipbook

This event reflected of the values of Trade Winds: respect for tradition, pride in craftsmanship, and a deep commitment to empowering Indigenous people through training and employment in the construction trades.

We were also honoured to welcome MLA Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, MLA Brooks Arcand-Paul and MP Billy Morin, whose presence and words added meaning to the day and underscored the importance of partnership and support for Indigenous-led initiatives, contributions that have helped Trade Winds reach its 20th anniversary this year.

A highlight of the day was the unveiling of our new Eco-Smart Show Home, a sustainable home built by Trade Winds students and beautifully staged by one of our graduates, Keyanna Soosay. The home stands as a powerful symbol of what’s possible when talent, training, and community come together.

Guests enjoyed a delicious lunch from Kim’s Cree-ations, while being treated to incredible performances by Inuit throat singers, First Nations dancers, and a Métis fiddler — showcasing the rich cultural traditions that continue to inspire and unite us.

Thank you to everyone who joined us. Together, we are building futures, communities, and a stronger path forward.

Event Sponsors:

Octo Mechanical  Canada.ca  City of Edmonton Strike Group Lorneville – CCIB

On June 5, the environmental community gathered to recognize our shared commitments to sustainability at the Alberta Emerald Foundation’s 34th annual Emerald Awards. The evening showcased industry, non-profit, and government-led projects that have advanced environmental outcomes in Alberta, with award recipients in categories such as Energy, Land, Wildlife, and Biodiversity, among others.

Trade Winds to Success was the successful recipient of the Infrastructure Award for its Eco-Smart Small Homes that are built as part of its Carpentry program. The category recognizes organizations for their dedication to improving the environmental design of local infrastructure projects.

Trade Winds was nominated alongside Trans Mountain for its Environmental Protection Rules (EPRs) and the Town of Banff in collaboration with HSS Design Build for the Okâch – Îyethkabi Oûgitûbi pavilion for its low-carbon, high-performance facility.

Trade Winds was honoured to have current Residential Construction Program student, Joe Ireland, accept the award on its behalf, whose words reflected the heart of this project – the strength of community, the importance of opportunity, and the power of believing in a better future.

Thank you to the staff and volunteers at the Alberta Emerald Foundation, the Trade Winds staff, and our community partners, as well as all those who continue to support this journey. This award belongs to all of us.

To learn more about Trade Winds Eco-Smart Homes: https://www.tradewindstosuccess.ca/about/eco-smart-homes/

To learn more about the Alberta Emerald Foundation: https://emeraldfoundation.ca/

Follow this link for a clip of Trade Winds accepting the award: https://www.youtube.com/live/q_e1c5P2AeY?si=8Et8NgWbfITPGRfE&t=2987

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