A year of inspiring stories about people and technology
The end of a year is a good time to pause and take stock. You’ve just spent 12 months filling up your slate, why not take a moment to see what’s on it before wiping it clean?
When we do that at techlifetoday, it reminds us of the importance of taking a particular approach to storytelling.
Techlifetoday is NAIT’s online publication, but the stories aren’t exactly about NAIT. Rather, they’re about the impact NAIT has on our communities through the drive and ingenuity of students, alumni and staff.
That impact is easy to identify: It’s actions and solutions that make lives better. But that can vary, from a chef opening a café that becomes a neighbourhood gathering place to a group of students who bring electricity to an off-grid village in Peru. Whether close to home or in another hemisphere, those contributions mean something to all of us – we know because those are the subjects of two of 2025’s most popular stories.
Check them out below – along with the rest of the top 10 – if you missed them.
There’s a lot going on in the world, and in your corner of it, that needs your attention, so thank you for giving some of that attention to us. As you look back on your year and set to clearing your own slate, we hope you’re able to refill it with good things in 2026. Happy holidays from techlifetoday.
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Our 10 most popular stories of 2025
10. How a grad found his calling as a first responder
After a start in trades, then business, Carter Buchanan (Advanced Care Paramedic ’25, Primary Care Paramedic ’22, Management ’17) found his calling as a paramedic. Here’s how he realized he was meant to aid others, and how he’s already helping others do the same.
Read the story →
9. NAIT designs early wildfire detection system for remote Métis community
In May 2023, the Grizzly wildfire complex neared the northern Alberta community of Peavine, forcing a hasty evacuation. Now, even the scent of smoke is enough to invoke fear and uncertainty for residents. But it may also be enough to trigger an early warning system designed by NAIT applied researchers, offering peace of mind to the community.
Read the story →
8. NAIT grad and programmer contributes to runaway success of Shop Canadian app
Is it made in Canada? That question became top of mind in 2025 with the arrival of U.S. tariffs. To help answer it, program Matthew Suddaby (Digital Media and IT ’23) and a business partner designed the Shop Canadian app – and were stunned to see it became more popular than Temu and ChatGPT.
Read the story →
7. Grad returns to NAIT as first Indigenous Hokanson Chef in Residence
Quentin Glabus (Culinary Arts ’00) always marvelled at the celebrities who’ve served as NAIT’s Hokanson Chef in Residence. It was a group he never imagined joining – until he got the call from former instructors. With skill, global experience and the memory of how his kokum could bring people together over a meal, Glabus easily joined the ranks of his heroes.
Read the story →
6. The NAIT guide to restaurants, cafés, bakeries, breweries and more in Edmonton (and area)
A perennial favourite, our guide to food and drink by NAIT grads charts the ongoing evolution of the culinary community in and around the Edmonton area. If “Where should we go to eat?” is the question, this list has an answer.
See the list →
5. Government, industry and partner funding initiatives for NAIT programs
The positive impact NAIT has on its community rarely happens without the support of partners in industry or government. This year saw no fewer than a dozen major announcements of funding for projects dedicated to reclamation, student entrepreneurship, health care, skilled trades learning, and more.
See the list →
4. Father and child graduate Forest Technology together
In 2023, Cassady and Darren Spencer (Forest Technology ’25, both) decided to answer the call of the wild. It sounded different for each, but it led them to one place: as father and child studying the same program at NAIT's School of Energy and Natural Resources at the same time.
Read the story →
3. Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation marks an Alberta first in health-care education
Sometimes the best learning is trial by fire – or an approximation of fire, or of an accident, or an outright disaster. NAIT’s Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation (CAMS) excels in creating carefully controlled chaos, teaching students how to handle the toughest parts of careers to come. This spring, for the first time, CAMS extended its expertise to students and instructors from other post-secondaries, marking an Alberta first in health-care education.
Read the story →
2. NAIT students and staff help bring off-grid energy and connectivity to Peruvian village
In February, high in the Peruvian Andes, the village of Huarcaya sat silently illuminated in the evening for the first time. It meant that residents could carry on with daytime activities, businesses could operate, and students could do homework without having to run a noisy generator for light. And NAIT students helped make it possible.
Read the story →
1. Meet NAIT's 2025 Honorary Degree recipients
Each year, NAIT grants its highest award to community members who’ve transformed their communities, locally and beyond, and demonstrated the values of the polytechnic while doing so. This year’s group included oil sands pioneer Jim Carter, business leader Brent Hesje, skilled-trades diversity advocate Carol Moen, and music industry veteran (and NAIT grad) Holger Petersen.
Read about the recipients →
Nominate a 2026 honorary degree candidate
As NAIT's highest award, honorary degrees are given to extraordinary individuals whose achievements have made an impact locally, nationally and even globally. They celebrate leaders who embody NAIT's values and inspire future generations.
And you can suggest a recipient!
Make your submission online before Jan. 7, 2026. Successful candidates will address graduates and cross the stage at NAIT's Convocation ceremony.
Nominate someone today