WINNIPEG, MB –The University of Winnipeg teams up with Career Trek for the 16th year to provide innovative career-focused educational programming to propel youth into post-secondary education and meaningful careers.
Career Trek’s programming focuses on hands-on learning and real-world applications which help youth discover and explore career options and post-secondary pathways. Career Trek’s model purposely blends rural, urban, and suburban students in an attempt to break down barriers, build understanding, and a sense of community among participants.
“Attending the University at a young age helped me realize my potential,” says Sasha Mark, former Career Trek student and current Campus Coordinator, “Growing up in the inner city, I never understood what opportunities I had but Career Trek helped me discover a career I was interested in.”
“Career Trek programming connects education and career success, explained Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, UWinnipeg’’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “This year more than 400 students will engage in over 30 different careers paths at UWinnipeg. This exposure makes education and post-secondary education relevant and helps students become comfortable on a post-secondary campus.”
UWinnipeg’s Faculty of Education has supported this program since its inception on campus. “Career Trek is an exemplary program that helps talented and often disadvantaged young people gain a concrete sense of direction and purpose by familiarizing the students with careers and options for the future,” says Dr. Ken McCluskey, UWinnipeg’’s Dean of Education.
Career Trek’s unique educational programming brings youth with potential barriers to UWinnipeg on Saturdays and Sundays to get hands-on experience in several fields of study including criminal justice, education, kinesiology, and anthropology.
“The innovative programming that Career Trek offers can only be delivered in partnership with post-secondary institutions like UWinnipeg because our main goals are to help kids unearth their potential and passions for post-secondary education and career success,” says Darrell Cole, Founder and CEO Career Trek. “Our model has powerful benefits to empower Aboriginal, immigrant and youth communities. Exposing them to post-secondary education at an early age has an enormous positive effect on a child’s life and on the community as a whole.”
The University supports the success of Career Trek programming. The University provides in-kind support, welcomes students to the campus on weekends, and provides 23 UWinnipeg students hired as instructors to provide programming this year.
“All kids have the potential to succeed at post-secondary education,” says Cole, “but sometimes that potential needs to be nurtured. This is best done when all of us work together to meet a child’s best interests. We are delighted to have The University of Winnipeg working with us.”
MEDIA CONTACT
Rob Marriott, Communications Coordinator, Career Trek
T: 204-944-1800 ext. 116, E: rmarriott@careertrek.ca
Naniece Ibrahim, Communications Officer, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7130, E: n.ibrahim@uwinnipeg.ca
