Take On The Future

CAREERS: The Next Generation
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Careers

Take on the Future is a podcast from CAREERS: The Next Generation about work, opportunity, and the people helping shape Alberta’s future. Each episode features conversations with employers, educators, industry leaders, government representatives, and others who are helping attract, develop, and retain the people needed to keep pace with Alberta's growth.

Episodes

  1. 6d ago

    How the Trades Saved My Life | Alex McNamara

    From jail to Yale to a career in the skilled trades, Alex McNamara’s path has been anything but conventional. Alex is a welder, rigger, technical director, construction educator and founder of Built Pretty. She joins Stacey Allan and Jacqueline Daniels to talk about addiction and recovery, finding purpose through hands-on work, breaking into male-dominated spaces, and building a career by saying “Yes.” They also dig into what employers can do to attract and retain more women in the trades, what good mentorship looks like, and how Alex built an audience of more than 400,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok by making construction relatable and accessible. In this episode: 00:00 Introduction 01:58 Alex’s Backstory: Addiction and Finding the Trades 10:02 Fear of Rejection and the Power of Yes 14:01 Women in the Trades 16:00 How Employers Can Reach More Women 17:38 Embracing Femininity 21:19 Mentorship 25:13 Workplace Safety Culture 26:44 Harnessing Social Media and Personal Branding 32:05 Inspiring Others Through Information Media 35:00 Advice for Young Women About the Trades 36:28 Would You Rather? 37:57 Conclusion About Alex McNamara Alex McNamara is a Nashville-based technical director, welder, rigger and construction educator. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, she has worked across Broadway, large-scale music festivals and live entertainment builds around the world. Through Built Pretty and her social media platforms, Alex shares an unfiltered look at life and careers in the skilled trades, reaching more than 400,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok. Connect with Alex Built Pretty Website Instagram TikTok Learn more about CAREERS: https://www.careersnextgen.ca/ Follow Take on the Future: https://www.careersnextgen.ca/podcast/

    How the Trades Saved My Life | Alex McNamara

  2. Jul 7

    You Can't Hire Talent That Doesn't Know You Exist | Liz Kovach

    The path to a meaningful career is rarely a straight line, and the same can be said for building a strong workforce. In this episode, Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels sit down with Liz Kovach, President of Supply-Build Canada (and, in her own words, the self-proclaimed "Lumber Lady"), to explore how employers can attract, develop, and retain talent in an increasingly competitive labour market. Liz shares how an unexpected career journey led her to Canada's lumber and building materials industry, why some of the best careers are the ones people don't know exist, and what employers can do to inspire the next generation of workers. The conversation also explores entrepreneurship, mentorship, internships, innovation, and why getting comfortable may be the biggest barrier to growth. Learn more Supply-Build Canada https://www.supplybuild.ca Let's Go Build https://www.letsgobuild.ca

    You Can't Hire Talent That Doesn't Know You Exist | Liz Kovach

  3. Jun 26

    Introducing: Take on the Future

    A journalist. A musician. And somehow... a workforce podcast. Welcome to Take on the Future—building tomorrow's workforce, today. Before we dive into our interviews, we're taking a few minutes to introduce ourselves and share why we started the podcast. Follow Take on the Future on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or YouTube so you don't miss upcoming episodes.

    Introducing: Take on the Future

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Take on the Future is a podcast from CAREERS: The Next Generation about work, opportunity, and the people helping shape Alberta’s future. Each episode features conversations with employers, educators, industry leaders, government representatives, and others who are helping attract, develop, and retain the people needed to keep pace with Alberta's growth.

Information

  • Creator
    CAREERS: The Next Generation
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 CAREERS: The Next Generation