Skills Exploration Days
Skills Exploration Days is a one-day, virtual event held in December 2024!
Skills Exploration Days registration is SOLD OUT! Stay tuned for 2025 Skills Exploration Days early bird registration in the spring.
The purpose of Skills Exploration Days is to:
- Inspire Junior High students to identify inherent skills and interests.
- Connect students’ skills and interests to trade and technology careers through interactive, hands-on experiences that promote creativity, empathy, and exploration.
- Promote trade and technology careers as a valuable and rewarding career choice.
Building on the Maker Day model and Alberta Education’s Career and Technology Foundations (CTF) Program of Studies, students will be introduced to skilled trade and technology careers as they design, tinker and build!
How It Works!
Skills Exploration Days is hosted in the classroom but has an interactive digital live-streamed component to allow students to share their prototypes with peers across the province. The program is facilitated in three parts:
- An in-classroom toolbox and Learn-A-Skill Kits provide students with skill development activities that allow them to test new trade and technology skills.
- In their classrooms, students will work in teams using the Design Thinking process to address a real-world challenge.
- Using the skills learned with the Learn-A-Skill Kits, students will come together for an interactive live-stream to build a prototype and share their finished projects.
Toolboxes & Learn-A-Skill Kits
Registered schools will be provided with a toolbox that will include the tools and materials students will need to participate in Skills Exploration Days. Learn-A-Skill Kits are included to help students familiarize themselves with the tools and materials available for building their prototype. Schools that have taken part in Skills Exploration Days previously and received toolboxes will be provided with a “top up” toolbox, and new schools will receive the full toolbox. These toolboxes and materials will remain with the school to support the development and growth of your programs!
Unlike other SCA programs, at Skills Exploration Days, there are no winners or medals, just the freedom to explore, make mistakes and try again!
The cost to participate is $250 per school for a full toolbox and $150 per school for a top up box.
How Do I Register?
Your school must be registered with Skills Canada Alberta to participate.
Registering as a Skills School is free of charge. Visit https://skillsalberta.com/resources/become-a-skills-school/ to create and submit your profile. Once registered, a username and password will be emailed to you.
Login to the registration portal using your username and password. Once logged in, select the “Skills Exploration Days” tab to register for your toolbox or add your school to the waitlist.
How to Get the Most Out of Skills Exploration Days
- Be sure to check out the Skills Exploration Days Teacher Guide. This step by step guide will ensure all your questions are answered to ensure you have a successful Skills Exploration Days experience.
- Expand your knowledge and learn about classroom implementation in the teacher resource: Taking Making into Classrooms: A Toolkit Fostering Curiosity and Imagination in Alberta Classrooms.
A special thank you to Susan Crichton and Deb Carter from the Innovative Learning Center at UBC for their inspirational work in the Maker Movement and for assisting in the concept and content development of Skills Exploration Days.
