Building the Next Generation: Across the Yard with CAREERS Alberta S04EP20

Alberta has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the country, yet many building supply businesses are struggling to find their next generation of talent. In this episode, we sit down with Stefan Rutkowski, President & CEO of CAREERS: The Next Generation, and Claudio Quinteros, Regional Manager, to explore how paid, school-supported internships are bridging that gap. In this episode, they discuss: • CAREERS does and how it connects high school youth to industry-based work experience • Why so many students don't know what career paths exist beyond university, and how parents and teachers shape (and sometimes limit) those choices • How CAREERS builds a youth talent pipeline for employers • The real success stories from inside the building supply industry • Practical realities of bringing on an intern: what funding is available, how Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) coverage works • The most common mistakes employers make (hint: treating an intern like a first-year employee). If you care about workforce development, youth recruitment, succession planning, and building a stronger talent pipeline for the building supply industry, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ CAREERS: https://www.careersnextgen.ca/ Stefan Rutkowski: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-rutkowski/ Claudio Quinteros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudio-quinteros-20544a54/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by Burrows Lumber. Proudly serving Western Canada and Ontario—Trusted for generations! Learn more at burrowslumber.com Also brought to you by HiLine Treated wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at hilinetreated.com