Career Essentials Podcast

Career Essentials offers real-world advice and insight into different careers and career paths. We feature the stories and experiences of NAIT alumni with lessons for everyone. 

Whether you’re just starting out or further along the career journey, each episode will give you perspectives, tools and tips essential to growth and success. It might even inspire you to pursue a completely new career path to personal and professional satisfaction.

Episode 9: Defining leadership, with Chief Billy Morin

After three terms as chief of Enoch Cree Nation, Billy Morin (Civil Engineering Technology ’11; Bachelor of Technology in Technology Management ’13) reflects on the makings and actions of a strong leader – and what's next in his own career.

Episode 8: How to make a career in social media

Strategist and marketer Beverley Theresa (Marketing '06) share the secrets to making a living in social media.

Episode 7: The real meaning of equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Rondah Worrell-Maik from NAIT’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office talks about how each of us can help foster an inclusive workplace, the tangible benefits of that, and what new grads seeking an equitable workplace should look for when applying for positions.

Episode 6: How to pivot from an industry in transition

Rob LeLacheur (Marketing ’94) shares lessons learned during a 27-year career, much of it in the newspaper industry in Edmonton and St. Albert. He also discusses what it’s like to reinvent yourself after a venture fails, why he no longer fears change and how he used one industry’s decline as a jumping point to start a new venture.

Episode 5: How to network successfully

Professional recruiters Elisabeth Boehme and Nick Stadnyk help redefine what networking means and how to do it in a way that caters to both your personality and your career. 

Episode 4: Job search tips in the pandemic

Landing that first job after convocation requires a lot of heavy lifting. In COVID times, this can feel extra daunting. Shannon Neighbour (Marketing ’00), a partner with Svensen Neighbour Recruiting, shares advice about resumé writing, LinkedIn, networking, the virtual job interview and more.

Episode 3: Knowing when to make a career change

Jennifer Stang (Culinary Arts '08) was on track for a career in medicine when she realized baking was all she cared about. Stang shares how her decision to change careers ultimately led to NAIT and a thriving business in Edmonton's La Boule Patisserie and Bakery.

Episode 2: Leadership under fire

Fighting wildfires isn't for the faint of heart – especially when you're leading a crew of 20 men and women against some of the biggest, hottest fires in recent memory. Firefighter and author Harold Larson (Forest Technology ’13) shares what it's really like on the front lines and how to lead teams during stressful situations.


Episode 1: Let's talk about mental health in the restaurant industry

Edmonton chef and restauranteur Steven Brochu (Culinary Arts ’06) opens up about mental health in the restaurant industry and what he's doing to change kitchen culture. Brochu is the owner of Milkcrate, a cafe and catering company that he founded in 2019. A year later, in the middle of a pandemic, he launched Milkcrate Listens. It’s an initiative where fellow chefs and others in the hospitality industry can ask questions or share experiences related to mental health.

Listen to the trailer