The Government of Alberta’s Advanced Education Ministry awarded a generous grant to TELUS Spark to inspire Alberta youth to explore skilled trades. Along with major support from the Calgary Construction Association, this funding has launched an exciting new experience.

BLUprint (Build + Learn + YOU) is one of Canada’s first youth programs to highlight the role of STEAM in real-world trades careers within a science centre.

On July 31, 2024, the Government of Alberta’s Advanced Education Ministry awarded $900,000 to TELUS Spark to inspire Alberta youth to explore skilled trades. With support from the Calgary Construction Association Education Fund, this program integrates STEAM and trades, highlighting their creativity and critical role in Alberta. Thanks to these funders, Spark is shaping the next generation of skilled tradespeople.

Skilled trades aren’t just practical jobs—they’re STEAM careers built on science, technology, engineering, art, and math. From carpentry’s precise measurements to the physics of electrical circuits and chemistry in plumbing, trades rely on scientific and technical expertise. But they’re also creative!

Skilled tradespeople design everything from intricate furniture to architectural marvels, blending precision and artistry in an exciting, multifaceted field.

Hands-on trades activities at Spark make learning dynamic, tangible, and fun! Guests explore real-world applications of STEAM, connecting science and math to practical skills. This approach demystifies trades, showcasing their complexity and importance. By experiencing these careers firsthand, young people gain inspiration and confidence, igniting a passion for skilled trades and opening doors to future opportunities.

Elevating the trades to their rightful place within the STEAM framework promotes job parity and respect. It underscores that that trades careers are not just viable but essential, requiring a high level of skill, knowledge and creativity. This recognition helps to build a more balanced and appreciative view of all career paths.

Integrating the trades into Spark fosters a holistic approach to education, where academic knowledge and practical skills go hand in hand. It illustrates how different fields of study intersect and support one another, preparing individuals for a wide range of challenges and opportunities in their careers.

BLUprint Phase 1 launched in summer 2024, inspiring kids to explore skilled trades like carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work. Through hands-on activities, kids aged 8-12 used real tools in outdoor zones and year-round indoor spaces. Supported by the Government of Alberta and the Calgary Construction Association, BLUprint engaged 14,000+ participants, sparking creativity as they built forts, welded virtually, and crafted wooden projects to take home.

At Carpentry Corner, kids used real tools like bow saws, hand drills, and awls to craft wooden projects like coasters and keychains. The painting station let them personalize their creations. With safety gear on, kids learned carpentry basics—measuring, cutting, assembling, and painting—in a fun, supervised environment. Afterwards, mini carpenters got to proudly take their handmade projects home.

In the Big Builds zone, kids 8 and up used hammers, nails, wood, and tires to build forts, cars, and castles. With safety gear on, they learned teamwork and problem-solving while creating impressive structures. Prefabricated builds like picnic tables and bear chairs inspired young builders. This hands-on space encouraged creativity, confidence, and the freedom to take risks and build something amazing.

The Little Builders Zone, designed for kids aged 3-8, featured nuts-and-bolts sets, foam bricks, and a hammering station to develop fine motor skills and problem-solving. Without the need for safety gear, younger kids explored construction in a fun, safe way. A plumbing board and fastening boards let them practice basic building techniques, making this zone a perfect hands-on introduction to trades and cause-and-effect learning

Activation Cart brought hands-on learning to more guests, making trades education fun and interactive. Kids explored electricity with circuit blocks, learning about switches and conductors, and experimented with plumbing by building water systems. This mobile station was a flexible way to engage visitors, especially during bad weather, offering a dynamic way to explore the science behind skilled trades.

At Beakerhead 2024, BLUprint showcased the STEAM behind skilled trades, with VR job shadows, 3D printing demos, and welding art. Over 8,900 guests explored how STEAM skills shape trades and the world. Highlights included steel sculptures by the Welding Princess, woodworking by Quiet Woodworking, and interactive carpentry and plumbing stations by Lethbridge Polytechnic, inspiring kids to see the creativity and innovation in skilled trades careers.

At Beakerhead 2024, BLUprint showcased the STEAM behind the skilled trades, with VR job shadows, 3D printing demos, and welding art. Over 8,900 guests explored how STEAM skills shape trades and the world. Highlights included steel sculptures by the Welding Princess, woodworking by Quiet Woodworking, and interactive carpentry and plumbing stations by Lethbridge Polytechnic, inspiring kids to see the creativity and innovation in skilled trades careers.

BLUprint Bakery brought construction indoors for winter 2024, where kids built gingerbread houses from cardboard, learning measurement and design skills. Using tools like cardboard cutters and glue guns, they explored carpentry and engineering in a festive way. Over 3,800 guests created rocketships, space rovers, and more, learning about structural support and problem-solving while enjoying hands-on holiday fun.