Youth and Families
Explore your career options and how to get there
Check out our tools and resources that help you make informed decisions about your future.
Upcoming EventsGet started with Explore Your Future
Here's your chance to explore many career options from people working in them now. Learn what they do and how they got there. Ask them questions!
Explore Your Future offers a series of virtual panels organized around different themes.
We also plan a return to our popular in-person career fair in spring 2023.
NEW!
Get creative!
We now have a Youth Creativity Fund to inspired Waterloo Region youth in grades 5 to 12 to apply their creativity towards solving a problem they identify. Any problem!
Get up to $1000!
Youth can ask for up to $500 for an individual project or up to $1000 when working in a group. And the best part is we always want to say yes! If you're not quite ready, we'll provide some advice so you can reapply.
Deadline for applications is the last day of every month.
Get started exploring our toolbox
Our toolbox features several ways for you to explore different jobs, fields of work and a look inside workplaces.
Career Profiles
Many of our volunteer speakers share their job description and their career journeys. Check them out!
Virtual Workplace Tours
Several businesses and organizations have opened their doors to give potential employees a chance to see their workplace. Check them out!
Recommended Resources
We also suggest a number of other tools for exploring your career options including those offered by Edge Factor, myBlueprint and FindYourJob.ca from the Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo, Wellington, Dufferin. Check these and more out now!
Learning by doing
Our experiential learning section features many ways that you can learn by doing.
While you are in high school, you can get real world work experience to learn skills and try out different career options. You can even get a head start on getting into the workforce as an apprentice. Learn more.
Check out these options:
Specialist High Skill Major program
More experiential learning options
Want to figure out which options work for you?
SHARE YOUR STORY
How do real world work experiences make a difference?
Do you have a story about high school co-op or other experiential learning opportunities in action here in Waterloo Region?
Share your story with us so we can inspire more high school students, educators, and businesses to get involved!
Looking for more resources for families and youth?
Family Compass is your first step to finding community-based services and supports for parents, youth and children in Waterloo Region.