Explore every episode of the podcast Take On The Future
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stop Saying No | Jennifer McClure | 27 oct. 2026 | 00:29:51 | |
Episode Overview Jennifer McClure joins Stacey and Jacquie to talk about career ownership, better leadership and the value of asking good questions. She shares the blunt feedback that changed her approach as an HR leader: stop being the person who explains why something can’t be done, and start helping people figure out how it can. Jennifer also makes the case for thoughtful disruption and using AI to free people up for higher-value work, rather than simply cutting tasks or jobs. Chapters 00:51 Meet Jennifer McClure 02:14 Why HR Belongs in the Room 08:25 Who Owns Your Career? 13:33 The Feedback That Changed Her Leadership 17:24 Disrupt What’s Already Working 21:04 AI as an Empowerment Tool 26:04 Can Jennifer Defend a Terrible HR Idea? Relevant Links / Resources Jennifer McClure: jennifermcclure.net Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels | |||
| Safe Companies Perform Better | Mark Hoosein | 20 oct. 2026 | 00:20:04 | |
Safety is about keeping people from getting hurt. But the companies that do it well often see something else too: better quality, less rework, and stronger retention. Mark Hoosein, CEO of the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA), joins Stacey and Jacquie to talk about what separates a genuine safety culture from a safety program. They explore why workers are especially vulnerable during their first year with a company, even when they already have years of experience; how supervisors and coworkers influence whether people feel comfortable speaking up; and why investing in safety can make good business sense. Mark also offers practical advice for smaller employers that want to improve their safety systems and explains why, at its core, workplace safety comes down to one simple responsibility: taking care of each other. Chapters 00:09 Introducing Mark Hoosein Links: https://www.youracsa.ca/cor-secor/ Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels | |||
| Retirement Needs an Update | Lisa Taylor | 13 oct. 2026 | 00:36:44 | |
We’re living longer, but many of our ideas about careers are still built around retiring at 65. What does that mean for employers overlooking experienced workers, and for people who still have plenty they want to contribute? Lisa Taylor, co-founder and CEO of Challenge Factory, joins Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels to explore how longer working lives are changing the workplace. She challenges the idea that older workers need to step aside for younger people and explains how employers can create new career paths that put experience to work. From the ageism hiding in birthday cards to the importance of a present-tense introduction, Lisa makes the case for rethinking what comes next. There’s also a little Justin Bieber. Chapters 00:00 Meet Lisa Taylor Relevant Links and Resources Challenge Factory: https://challengefactory.ca/ Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels Executive Producer: Ann Normand | |||
| From Reconciliation to Opportunity | JP Gladu | 29 sept. 2026 | 00:53:45 | |
Episode Overview Economic reconciliation is about more than consultation. It means Indigenous communities having a meaningful role in the businesses and opportunities shaping their lands and their futures. JP Gladu, Founder and Principal of Mokwateh and an Anishinaabe leader from Sand Point First Nation, joins Stacey and Jacquie to talk about what that looks like in practice. He shares his own community’s history of displacement and return, and explains why economic participation, ownership, and employment are essential parts of reconciliation. The conversation also turns to the enormous opportunity represented by Indigenous youth. JP challenges employers to move beyond good intentions, spend time in communities, rethink traditional approaches to recruitment, and create workplaces where Indigenous employees can genuinely see themselves belonging. And, naturally, it ends with a competitive moose call. Chapters 00:01 Meet JP Gladu 01:20 Sand Point First Nation’s displacement and return 08:10 What economic reconciliation means 11:10 What economic reconciliation looks like when it works 17:10 How employers can start building Indigenous relationships 20:30 Creating better opportunities for Indigenous youth 22:00 The impact of the Outland Youth Employment Program 29:30 Why employers need to spend time in communities 34:00 Building an Indigenous engagement strategy that lasts 40:50 Indigenous youth and Canada’s workforce opportunity 45:55 Why representation and belonging matter 51:55 What gives JP hope 54:25 Rapid fire and the great moose-call competition Relevant Links & Resources Mokwateh Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB) Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels Executive Producer: Ann Normand | |||
| The Minister on Alberta Apprenticeship Day | Myles McDougall | 28 sept. 2026 | 00:18:02 | |
Episode Overview Alberta is training more apprentices, but demand for skilled workers is still climbing. Minister of Advanced Education Myles McDougall joins Stacey and Jacquie for Alberta Apprenticeship Day to talk about what comes next. He explains why employers have a major role in apprenticeship completion, how the province is expanding training capacity, and why access to skilled workers matters to Alberta’s ability to attract new investment. The conversation also looks at getting young people into the trades earlier, and ends with the Minister being challenged to say “Happy Apprenticeship Day” in another language. Chapters 02:43 Meet Minister Myles McDougall 04:44 How Serious Is Alberta’s Skilled Trades Shortage? 06:24 Expanding Apprenticeship Training Capacity 09:38 Getting More Apprentices Onto Job Sites 11:55 Why Apprentices Don’t Always Finish 14:01 Starting the Trades Conversation Earlier 16:03 Why Workforce Capacity Matters to Investment 18:05 A Very Specific Language Challenge Relevant Links • Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training • Become an Apprentice in Alberta • CAREERS: The Next Generation Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels Executive Producer: Ann Normand | |||
| The Wisdom of Indecision | Candy Ho | 15 sept. 2026 | 00:30:51 | |
Young people are often asked to choose a career before they have had much chance to discover what fits. Dr. Candy Ho, Chancellor’s Chair at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and an internationally recognized career development scholar, argues that uncertainty can be useful when it keeps us curious and moving forward. 01:09 What Origami Taught Candy About Her Career 03:07 Take the Pressure Off Career Planning 04:20 Why a “Wrong” Internship Can Still Be Valuable 06:34 Stop Asking Kids What They Want to Be 08:37 Meaningful Work and Making a Living 10:05 The Wisdom of Indecision 12:15 What Young Workers Bring to the Job 13:19 What Employers Should Teach 15:56 What Work-Integrated Learning Adds 18:25 Who Are Career Influencers? 22:40 Skills for a Green Workforce 24:33 The Skills Awareness Gap 26:38 Careers Were Never a Straight Line 28:58 Would You Rather? An Organisational Guide to Skills for Green Workforce Transformation Dr. Candy Ho at Kwantlen Polytechnic University Canadian Career Development Foundation Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels Executive Producer: Ann Normand | |||
| From TV Builds to Building the Trades | Mike Holmes Jr. & Ian MacFayden | 01 sept. 2026 | 00:47:25 | |
For too long, the skilled trades have been treated as a fallback. Mike Holmes Jr. and Ian MacFayden want to change that. The co-founders of Point Load Media and hosts of The Trade Life join Stacey and Jacquie to talk about why young people are still pushed toward university, what it will take to put the trades on equal footing, and just how many career paths can open up once someone learns a trade. Ian shares his own unlikely path from university and accounting to carpentry and entrepreneurship, while Mike reflects on growing up with one of the most recognizable names in construction and building a professional identity of his own. They also dig into what employers should expect from young people entering the trades, whether Canada has a shortage of workers or a shortage of skills, and why mentorship and craftsmanship matter as much as recruitment. Plus, Ian introduces Project Network, a professional networking platform built specifically for the skilled trades. Along the way, they tackle construction’s resistance to new technology, building better homes, a 135-kilometre ultramarathon and, naturally, whether Mike would rather build a house with Ian or spend a month filming television with his dad. Chapters 00:44 Meet Mike Holmes Jr. and Ian MacFayden 01:40 The Kelly Ripa Construction Question 03:42 Growing Up with the Holmes Name 05:53 What a 135-Kilometre Race Teaches You About Business 08:56 How Mike and Ian Met 10:26 The Birth of Point Load Media 11:33 Life in the Skilled Trades 12:34 Why the Trades Are Still Treated as a Backup Plan 18:03 What Should Come After High School? 19:20 Changing Perceptions of the Skilled Trades 21:11 Where a Career in the Trades Can Lead 24:24 Learning the Business Side of the Trades 25:59 Introducing Project Network 31:15 Building a Network for the Trades 37:26 Making Tradespeople Easier to Find 40:19 What Young People Should Expect on the Job Site 44:26 Worker Shortage or Skills Shortage? 46:47 Building Better, Not Just Building More 49:24 What Would You Ask the Construction Industry? 51:27 Technology and Women in Construction 51:55 Why Construction Resists New Technology 54:46 Would You Rather? Learn More: Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels Executive Producer: Ann Normand | |||
| Alberta’s Best-Kept Education Secret | David Pye | 18 août 2026 | 00:25:34 | |
Alberta’s collegiate model is giving students an earlier, more hands-on look at career pathways, and helping employers build the skilled workforce they need. David Pye, Dean of the School of Trades and Technology at Red Deer Polytechnic, joins Stacey and Jacquie to explain how collegiates bring K–12 schools, post-secondary institutions and industry together. They explore how the Central Alberta Collegiate Institute is helping students test-drive the skilled trades, build confidence and move into apprenticeship with a clearer sense of where they want to go. David also challenges old assumptions about trades careers, explains how apprenticeship credentials can open doors well beyond the jobsite, and shares why giving young people permission to explore, and even fail, can help them find the right path. Chapters 00:00 What Is a Collegiate? 02:05 Building the Central Alberta Collegiate 03:06 Beyond the High School Shop Class 05:10 Building the Skilled Trades Pipeline 06:49 Bringing Industry into the Classroom 09:47 Changing Parents’ Perceptions of the Trades 12:58 Where a Trades Career Can Lead 14:42 Why David Is Passionate About Trades Education 16:44 From High School to WorldSkills 20:02 What Collegiate Could Mean for Alberta 22:00 Advice to David’s Younger Self 23:14 Would You Rather? Links:Red Deer Polytechnic Dual Credit programs Central Alberta Collegiate Institute – RDP overview Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels Executive Producer: Ann Normand | |||
| From the Golf Course | Driving Workforce Conversations | 11 août 2026 | 00:07:35 | |
What are Alberta's business leaders talking about when they're out on the golf course? In this special bonus episode of Take on the Future, Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels head to the 15th annual Eric Newell Kidz in Careers Golf Classic at Heritage Pointe Golf Club to find out. They jump in a golf cart to chat with employers, industry leaders, and long-time supporters of CAREERS about leadership, workforce development, and the future of talent in Alberta. The Eric Newell Kidz in Careers Golf Classic is CAREERS' annual fundraising tournament. Proceeds help connect Alberta students with meaningful career exploration opportunities and paid internships, giving young people valuable workplace experience while helping employers build their future workforce. Along the way, you'll hear practical advice on taking risks, investing in people, creating strong workplace cultures, and why developing young talent isn't just the right thing to do—it's good business. Chapters00:00 Welcome from the golf course Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels Executive Producer: Ann Normand | |||
| The Labour Shortage Isn't the Whole Story | Bill Black | 04 août 2026 | 00:47:16 | |
Labour shortages dominate conversations about construction, but Bill Black argues they're only part of the story. Bill is President and CEO of the Calgary Construction Association. He joins Stacey Allan and guest host Ann Normand to discuss why better project delivery, stronger leadership, and more thoughtful career pathways matter just as much as recruiting more workers. They also explore how construction careers can provide tremendous opportunity, why employers need to rethink how they develop talent, and what parents, educators, and industry can do to help more young people find work that's the right fit. Chapters 00:00 Introduction Calgary Construction Association Website Host: Stacey Allan Guest Host: Ann Normand Executive Producer: Ann Normand | |||
| How the Trades Saved My Life | Alex McNamara | 21 juil. 2026 | 00:39:18 | |
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 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 Learn more about CAREERS: https://www.careersnextgen.ca/ Follow Take on the Future: https://www.careersnextgen.ca/podcast/ | |||
| You Can't Hire Talent That Doesn't Know You Exist | Liz Kovach | 07 juil. 2026 | 00:32:19 | |
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 Let's Go Build Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels Executive Producer: Ann Normand | |||
| Introducing: Take on the Future | 26 juin 2026 | 00:01:53 | |
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. Hosts: Stacey Allan and Jacquie Daniels Executive Producer: Ann Normand | |||