Career day offers students a truly EPIC experience
By Lethbridge Herald on April 19, 2025.
Students learn about agriculture technicians jobs at the Rocky Mountain Equipment exhibit during EPIC 2025.
HERALD PHOTO BY JOE MANIOJoe Manio – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – jmanio@lethbridgeherald.com
Deciding what you want to do when you grow up, or at least after graduating from high school, can be daunting. Events like Career Transition’s EPIC (Exploring Possible Industries and Careers) Day 2025 wants to help, by giving high school students options. Six-hundred Grade 9 and 10 students from around Southwestern Alberta learned about a wide range of career opportunities, at the Lethbridge Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre Wednesday.
“We want to tell these students ‘this is what’s available,’” said Judy Stolk-Ingram, career transition executive director. “Every occupation is necessary. All are respectable.”
Now in its 14th year, EPIC Day is geared primarily toward students in Grades 9 and 10 but is open to any student who is looking for an opportunity to explore possible career pathways. In groups of five to six, students spent 20 minutes at a time with five unique exhibitors. Each of the 10 Exploration Zones featured one occupation related to agriculture and environment, trades, health care, and STEM, along with a “wildcard” occupation.
Each of the 50 exhibitors showcased a specific occupation and engaged the students with activities, demonstrations, and discussion in order to provide insights into their world of work. Students got hands-on experience popping out dents with auto body technicians, examining plant roots with agronomists, building a truss with carpenters and even attending to a cardiac arrest “victim” with a rural family physician.
Physician Davis Yawney, who returned for his second EPIC Day, performed the cardiac arrest demonstration, along with intravenous therapy and blood withdrawal demonstrations using real hypodermic needles, but with an artificial arm with simulated veins. In 2024, Yawnee also conducted a thorough child-birthing simulation, complete with illustrations and child birthing props.
“Our goal is to give them an opportunity to try something to ignite their interest,” said Yawney. “Their reactions are interesting…surprise, shock. Some are hesitant at first. There’s always a few kids that surprise you.”
Many of the companies at EPIC Day, especially the trades, offered well-paying jobs that don’t require specialized university degrees to apply. Over the years many exhibitors have hired students straight out of high school – graduates who had learned of their companies through attending EPIC Day.
EPIC Day is funded through partnerships with the area school districts including Lethbridge’s Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, Lethbridge School Division and Palliser Regional Schools, who pay a modest fee per student at the beginning of the year. Career Transitions has operated without government funding since 2018, but is working on getting it back to assist in transportation costs.
Lethbridge city councillor John Middleton-Hope, who attended the morning sessions, was impressed by the variety of companies there, and the active participation of the students.
“I’ve noticed that many of the young women seem to be engaging in the physical activities (like the trades) while the young men are participating in the more cerebral activities, which is really cool,” he said.
Middleton-Hope said that Epic Day would be very useful for his own grandchildren and others, making them aware of opportunities they might otherwise miss.
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