Youth + Jobs
Stories from People Building Their Futures in the Kootenays
It can be hard to know what comes after school. Many young people are trying to figure out what career paths are possible and how to get started.
Youth + Jobs shares real stories from young people in the West Kootenay who are building careers in fields like trades, technology, child care, health care, and media. In these short videos, youth talk about their experiences, how they found their path, and what helped them get started.
The videos were created through a Video Production Mentorship Program led by filmmaker Carla Sinclair, where five youth mentees learned hands-on video production while documenting the stories of other young people in the region. See below for more info on the mentees and their mentor.
By sharing these stories, we’re aiming to make local training and career pathways more visible and help young people see what’s possible in the West Kootenay.
Local Youth, Working Local
Explore the Stories
A Career in Health Care
Alexandria Purdy
Alexandria is building her future in the Kootenays through nursing, choosing a career where she can make a real difference while staying close to home. Through Selkirk College’s nursing program, she’s gaining the skills and experience she needs for a meaningful, in-demand career in her own community.
Thinking About Nursing? Start Here ⮟
- Explore nursing as a career: Learn what nurses do, the skills you’ll need, and what job opportunities look like.
- See what you’ll study at Selkirk College: Program details, admission requirements, and what to expect.
- Understand costs and general student funding: Overview of student loans and grants in Canada.
- Access nursing-specific funding in BC: Nursing Tuition Grant (can significantly reduce education costs).
- Explore additional bursaries and scholarships: Financial support through nursing organizations.
A Career in Forestry
Jake Popoff
Jacob got his start in high school through the ACE-IT program (now called Youth Train in Trades), completing his first year of millwright training before he even graduated. From there, he continued at College of the Rockies, and now he’s working at Kalesnikoff Lumber.If you like working with your hands, figuring out how things work, and fixing problems in real time, this could be a path for you. Millwrights keep the equipment running in industries like forestry and manufacturing, and they’re in demand across the Kootenays.Thinking About a Career as a Millwright? Start Here ⮟
A Career in Tech
Seth Whitehead
Seth completed Selkirk College's Digital Fabrication & Design Diploma and now works as a Research Assistant at the Selkirk Technology Access Centre (STAC), where he helps local businesses and entrepreneurs bring ideas to life using advanced manufacturing technology.If you like building things, solving technical problems, and working with cutting-edge tools and equipment, this could be a path for you. Digital fabrication skills are in demand across industries like manufacturing, engineering, and product design, and opportunities exist right here in the Kootenays.Thinking About a Career in Digital Fabrication? Start Here ⮟
A Career in Child Care
Faith Stefiuk
Faith completed Selkirk College’s nine-month Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Certificate, where small class sizes and strong instructor support helped her succeed. With four practicums built into the program, she gained hands-on experience and was hired by one of her placements after graduating. She now works as an Early Childhood Educator specializing in Infant-Toddler care and continues to grow in her role. Thinking About a Career as an Early Childhood Educator? Start Here ⮟
A Career in Mass Timber
Nathan O'Brien
Nathan got his start in high school through the Youth Train in Trades program, gaining hands-on experience and beginning his electrical training before he even graduated. From there, he continued his education and now works at Kalesnikoff Mass Timber. Thinking About a Career as an Electrician? Start Here ⮟
A Career in Media
Spencer Legebokoff
Spencer Legebokoff built his path by following what he loved. After attending Selkirk College, he turned his interest in skateboarding and storytelling into a career and is now the editor of SBC Skateboard Magazine. Thinking About a Career in Media or Publishing? Start Here ⮟
A Career as an Entrepreneur
Hunter Vincent
Hunter Vincent got his start in high school through the Youth in Trades program, gaining hands-on experience and beginning his path into the trades early. He started working in the field, earned his falling certification, and went on to build his own business. Today, he runs Vincent Treeworks, serving communities across the West Kootenay as a professional arborist. Thinking About a Career as an Arborist/ Entrepreneur? Start Here ⮟
A Career in Film
E.K. Braffet
E.K. Braffet didn’t follow a traditional path into film. She studied Peace and Conflict at Selkirk College, but discovered filmmaking along the way. With support from the local creative community, she started making films and building experience—and that has completely changed her career direction.Now, she’s an active part of the Kootenay film scene and was one of the youth mentees who helped bring these videos to life. Her story shows that you don’t need a traditional film school background to get started—just curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to try. Thinking About a Career in Film? Start Here ⮟
A Career in Forestry
Johnny Plotnikoff
Johnny Plotnikoff got his start in high school through the ACE-IT program (now called Youth Train in Trades), beginning his millwright training before he graduated. From there, he continued learning on the job and is now working at Kalesnikoff Lumber.If you like working with your hands, figuring out how things work, and solving problems in real time, this could be a path for you. Millwrights keep equipment running in industries like forestry and manufacturing, and they’re in demand across the Kootenays. It’s also a career where you’re part of a team—learning from others, working alongside a buddy, and taking on something different every day.Thinking About a Career as a Millwright? Start Here ⮟
What's Your Next Step?
Here’s how to get started.
- Explore what interests you
- Watch the videos of local Kootenay youth on this page and notice what stands out
- Check out different Career Profiles through WorkBC to learn more about job openings, annual earnings and required training
- Talk to someone at your school
You don’t have to figure it out on your own- Talk to a teacher or school counsellor
- Learn about Youth Train in Trades through Skilled Trades BC.
- Try it out early
- Look for work experience opportunities
- Get a part-time job or volunteer
- Search local jobs at kootenay.jobs
Here’s how to get started.
Explore what interests you
Talk to someone about your options
- You don’t have to figure it out on your own. KCDS – Kootenay Career Development Society provides employment counselling, financial support, and other great programs.
Look into training close to home
- Selkirk College offers a range of programs and courses at their campuses in Nelson, Castlegar, and other communities.
- Set up a meeting with a Selkirk College recruiter by emailing hello@selkirk.ca
Youth Video Mentorship Program
Stories by Youth, About Youth & For Youth
If we want to reach young people, we need to hear from young people.
That’s why this project included a video mentorship component, where youth filmmakers helped tell the stories of their peers. This approach creates more authentic, relatable content while giving young people hands-on experience in film and media.
It also supports the development of the local film sector, an area of ongoing focus for Greater Nelson Economic Development, by building skills and creating opportunities for emerging talent in the region.
Meet the Video Mentees
Mia Lomuntad
Mia Lomuntad is a multidisciplinary artist and an aspiring filmmaker focused on telling intimate, observational stories that explore everyday human experiences. Through a youth film mentorship program, she helped create short documentaries centered on young people in the Kootenays while strengthening her collaborative and technical filmmaking skills.
Mia is currently a Digital Arts student at Selkirk College, where she studies film and design and hopes to continue creating personal narrative films.
Sonny Brown
Sonny Brown is a high school student with a strong passion for film and storytelling. Drawn to both the creative and technical sides of filmmaking, he has been developing his love of visual storytelling from a young age and enjoys bringing stories to life on screen.
Sonny hopes to pursue filmmaking as a career after graduation and continue honing his skills as a visual storyteller.
Oscar Usher
Oscar is a filmmaker and film student currently studying at Capilano University. He grew up in Nelson, a place he will always call home, and is now building a career in narrative film in Vancouver, specializing in camera and lighting.
Deeply inspired by the mountains and people of British Columbia, these influences consistently find their way into his work.
E.K. Braffet
E.K. Braffet was raised in Nelson, BC, and is delighted to still call the city home. They are a writer, film maker, and Selkirk College graduate seeking to expand their knowledge and career through storytelling.
Phoenix Allen
Phoenix is a creative who is passionate about theatre and filmmaking, studying Mathematics at Queen's university and seeks, they seek to blend their experience in filmmaking with the sciences, developing new solutions for creatives and creating detail focused art.
Carla Sinclair
Video Mentor, Empty Cup Media
Carla loves connecting with people in person and behind the lens. This thirst for story collecting has become a lifelong interest. Creating unique films to share dynamic tales of people throughout her travels, Carla is driven by education through story.
She mentored the five youth video mentees in the planning, filming, production, and editing of the Youth + Jobs video series.
She is co-owner of Empty Cup Media, based in Nelson, BC, and she is a member of the Kootenay Screen-Based Industry Workers.
Project Support & Acknowledgements
Thank you for supporting the next generation of talent in the Kootenays
This project was made possible thanks to funding from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior of BC and Greater Nelson Economic Development.
We are deeply grateful to the young people who shared their stories, and to the filmmakers who brought these stories to life. A special thank you to Carla Sinclair of Empty Cup Media for guiding the video mentorship and supporting the next generation of storytellers in our region.
