Connecting Classrooms to Careers:BEPWR's Partnership with LegacyBuilders
As a local organization dedicated to career exploration for youth, the Business & Education Partnership of Waterloo Region is proud to be a partner of Legacy Builders. In our rapidly changing world, youth face a greater challenge than ever determining how to translate their goals and skills into a satisfying career path.
“Based on our shared goals, a partnership with Legacy Builders was a natural fit,” said Jennifer Birnstihl, Program Director with the BEP. “While our programming caters to all career paths, much of our work is helping students see beyond traditional career paths to discover fulfilling opportunities in skilled trades, especially those that offer a hands-on, experiential approach.”
Hands-On Meets Real-World
We believe that experiential learning is crucial for young people navigating career path decisions because it bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. Students gain valuable insights into careers in the construction industry by actively participating in the game featured in the Legacy Builders’ session and see how well their skills align with professional demands. By having the opportunity to try it for themselves, they are discovering their authentic interests and aptitudes, learning what a typical workday actually feels like and whether they might enjoy the tasks involved in this type of work.
Bringing Legacy Builders to Waterloo Region
In the 2024-2025 academic year, we facilitated fourteen events across 9 schools, impacting 450 students in Waterloo Region. With The Business & Education’s connections to the school board and Legacy Builders’ programming reaching more Grade 7 & 8 students for the BEP, this partnership has been mutually beneficial over the last 5 years.
Our staff have been so impressed with the unique and impactful Legacy Builder sessions. The sessions are a great balance of listening and learning about career options from the volunteer construction professionals who facilitate, followed by and the fun hands-on experience of the game. There is a real buzz in the room as students excitedly start working together to tackle the challenges in the game. They actively take part in the bidding process on an actual construction job, reading the blueprints, submitting their calculations and then wrapping up by seeing who submitted the winning bid and got the job.
Partnering on these events also provides students the opportunity to hear more about other BEP programs connected to exploring the trades or careers that are trades-adjacent through our Explore Your Future Career Expo, and virtual workshops for parents/caregivers focused on de-stigmatizing careers in the trades.
The Bigger Picture
Introducing career conversations early in a student's educational journey creates a foundation of purpose and direction that profoundly shapes their academic engagement and long-term success. When students begin exploring career possibilities in elementary or middle school, they start to see their education not as an abstract requirement but as a meaningful pathway toward future goals. Early career exposure also allows students to discover interests and aspirations while they still have ample time to develop relevant skills, take appropriate courses, and pursue extracurricular activities that align with their goals, rather than scrambling to catch up in high school when critical decisions about post-secondary training loom.
“I wanted to reach out and say thank you for providing this opportunity for our students. Students were engaged and having fun! That is not always an easy thing to accomplish and speaks volumes about the program and presenters. And most importantly, our students said how much they enjoyed it!” - Teacher Feedback
