Building the future starts with discovery

Published on August 04, 2026

Every home starts with a blueprint.

So does every career.

For many young people, the first step toward a future in the skilled trades is by simply discovering that opportunity exists.

Through a partnership between Homes by Avi and M.E. LaZerte, high school students are gaining hands-on experience that introduce them to the many careers that bring communities to life. By working alongside industry professionals to build a home from the ground up, students explore different areas of construction and begin to see how their skills, interests and passions could translate into a rewarding career.

For some students, it’s the first time they can imagine themselves in an industry they may never have considered.

“The future I want to build is helping other people,” shared Gardin Taranko, an M.E. LaZerte High School student who worked on the project. “I just never thought I’d be able to have the opportunity to participate in this.”

That experience reflects the impact of early exposure. When students have the opportunity to try new skills, work alongside professionals and understand the many pathways available, they begin to imagine futures they may not have previously considered.

“There are a lot of different career choices, and it can be really overwhelming,” said Matthew Lindberg-Fowlow, Dean, School of Construction and Building Sciences at NAIT. “It’s really unique to have these kinds of opportunities that Homes by Avi has provided these high school students, where they get a chance to try different things, including some hands-on activities that maybe spark that passion.”

Those moments of discovery are exactly why industry partnerships matter. By introducing students to the possibilities within construction early, organizations like Homes by Avi are helping create pathways into an industry they may not have otherwise considered.

“We have to encourage students when they’re young and show them that there are so many different aspects of our industry that you can pursue,” shared Vered Amir, Vice-President of Brand Leadership and Community Engagement at Homes by Avi. “The opportunities are really endless.”

Homes by Avi recognizes that building the future of the construction industry starts by investing in the people who will shape it.

Homes by Avi has made a five-year, $500,000 investment to support student awards in NAIT's School of Construction and Building Sciences. The investment helps remove financial barriers for students pursuing one of 13 eligible skilled trades programs at NAIT, making it easier for more learners to continue toward rewarding careers in construction.

Whether students first discovered their passion for construction through the M.E. LaZerte and Homes by Avi Construction Program or chose to begin their skilled trades journey at NAIT, Homes by Avi's investment helps remove financial barriers so more students can pursue rewarding careers in the industry.

The impact is already being felt.

Since the awards were introduced, more than 100 students have received support as they pursue education in programs including Advanced Carpentry Technology, Electrical Installations Technology, Advanced Plumbing Technology and apprenticeship pathways in trades such as carpentry, electrical, plumbing, cabinetmaking, glazier, insulation, refrigeration and air conditioning, and roofing.

NAIT is grateful to Homes by Avi for recognizing the potential of these students and investing in opportunities that help them build their futures. This commitment demonstrates the difference that can be made when industry and education come together with a shared vision.

The Homes by Avi student awards are part of the BILD Alberta Scholarships for Construction Careers initiative, launched in 2022 by Jay Westman to encourage Alberta’s residential construction industry to invest in the next generation of skilled trades professionals. Homes by Avi made a matching investment at SAIT, expanding opportunities for students across Alberta. Together, they are helping develop the future skilled workforce Alberta needs to keep building.

When industry partners invest in students, they do more than support education. They help create moments of discovery, pathways to opportunity and the skilled workforce that will build the communities of tomorrow.

Because the future workforce does not begin when someone enters the industry.

It begins the moment they first imagine themselves there.