KickAss Careers
Engage, Educate & Encourage youth to consider careers in Mechanical, Industrial, Technology, Construction (MITC) & Advanced Manufacturing through school & community outreach.Let's face it, not everyone wants to be lawyer, doctor or white-collar professional. Several prefer mechanical, practical and visual means of learning rather than academic programs through college and university.There are so many pathways to lucrative careers for those who enjoy building things. Hands-on skill...
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- Classroom Talks & Visits
- Speakers Bureau
- Speaking Engagements
- Workplace Equality Campaign
- MITC CONTEST
- KickAss Photo Booth
About KickAss Careers
Engage, Educate & Encourage youth to consider careers in Mechanical, Industrial, Technology, Construction (MITC) & Advanced Manufacturing through school & community outreach.
Let's face it, not everyone wants to be lawyer, doctor or white-collar professional. Several prefer mechanical, practical and visual means of learning rather than academic programs through college and university.
There are so many pathways to lucrative careers for those who enjoy building things. Hands-on skills are required in many professions especially mechanical, industrial and construction occupations. Furthermore practical experience offers great advantages to those pursuing careers in technology sectors related to MITC positions.
Look at the infrastructure all around us. Everything from the furthest satellite station in space to the equipment used in the deepest mine has been designed, built and continually maintained by someone in an MITC career.
As long as there is human life on earth there will be a need for engineers, skilled builders, mechanics and creative workers with unique skill sets. Through apprenticeship, technical education and STEM programs men and women are traveling worldwide with transferable skills making white-collar salaries designing, building and maintaining our ever changing, evolving world.
From a student in high school to the company owner sporting the white hat there are endless opportunities and pathways in Mechanical, Industrial, Technology and Construction.
Social Networks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kickassjourney
Services
Classroom Talks & Visits
KickAss Ambassadors visit classrooms to share their successful career stories with students. Our team uses work attire, personal stories and KickAss branding to excite students about Skilled Trades, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing opportunities. Many students interested in pursuing a career have sought advice from our team. In addition to the visits, our Ambassadors provide ongoing encouragement to interested students to help guide them in the right direction while pursuing their career pathways.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Jamie McMillan has featured in a number of events representing the trades across
North America. Through keynote presentations, panels, networking dinners, workshops, in-class presentation and participation, conferences, trade shows and exhibits, we have reached thousands of students, parents, educators and employers.
Speakers Bureau
Students can’t be what they don’t see. That’s why our committed, enthusiastic speakers are so important.
We are developing a speaker’s bureau to help our Ambassadors participate in our school and community outreach initiatives. Our Ambassadors are culturally diverse and unbiased spokespeople for Skilled Trades, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Sectors. Ambassadors interested in becoming keynote speakers will be trained to develop their skills.
Our goal is to create a network of KickAss speakers to reach thousands and even millions of students, parents, educators and employers.
Speaking Engagements
Jamie McMillan has featured in a number of events representing the trades across
North America. Through keynote presentations, panels, networking dinners, workshops, in-class presentation and participation, conferences, trade shows and exhibits, we have reached thousands of students, parents, educators and employers.
Projects
Workplace Equality Campaign
WORKPLACE EQUALITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
KickAss Careers supports the Workplace Equality (WE) ribbon campaign. We practice and encourage inclusive workplace cultures and strongly advocate about the importance of treating everyone with respect regardless of differences or ability. For additional information or to support the WE Ribbon campaign, please contact a KickAss team member.
MITC CONTEST
Our Objective:
High-school shop and technical programs have struggled with funding for materials, tools, consumables and personal protective equipment. This limits students’ ability to gain the most valuable learning experience from their technological education courses. The MITC Contest will help raise money for trades and technology classroom budgets and will motivate students to work on hands-on projects.
The MITC contest is geared towards high school students in grade 11 & 12 who are actively seeking the possibilities of careers in Mechanical, Industrial, Technology, Construction, Science, Engineering, Math and Advanced Manufacturing.
Equipment
KickAss Photo Booth
KickAss Photo Booth
OUTREACH PROGRAM
The KickAss outreach program encourages students to learn more about opportunities in Skilled Trades, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Sectors. Our team promotes the KickAss Careers mission through an interactive display that includes a photo booth.
Our eco-friendly booth is staffed by skilled professionals, journeypersons, advanced apprentices and students who represent their respective careers, employers and organizations. We attend events sponsored by industry, schools and the community, including trade shows, exhibits, educational conferences, career fairs, and sector-specific events promoting Skilled Trades, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Careers. Our, paperless, DIY KickAss photo booth lets students dress up in authentic work wear, using tools and personal protective equipment as props.
Students can immediately upload their photos to social media through our photo booth application, which automatically includes hashtags of our brand, the event and all applicable sponsors. KickAss Careers branding is incorporated into the images.
Our Impact
Our goal is to increase traffic to our social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Snapchat and LinkedIn) and the kickasscareers.org website, which will provide a resource page for promoting careers in Skilled Trades, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing.
Job Openings
No positions available
Team Members and Key Contacts
Penny Estey
Pat Williams
Co - Founder / KickAss Ambassador / Retired Stationary Operating Engineers
PAT WILLIAMS began in the trades in 1979 after earning a B.A. degree and becoming a social worker. Her dual interests in advocating for people and mechanical, hands-on work served her well. During her 32 years as a stationary operating engineer, she held many leadership positions in her profession and community. As a retiree, Pat continued working in trades advocacy and became involved with newly forming tradeswomen’s organizations. Pat cofounded the Tradeswomen’s Archive at California State University in Dominguez Hills and currently represents the construction industry on the Los Angeles Disabled Access Appeals Commission.
Jamie McMillan
Founder / KickAss Ambassador / Ironworker / Boilermaker / Public Speaker
JAMIE McMILLAN has been working across Canada as a journeyperson in the construction and industrial sectors since 2002. In 2006, she began to volunteer as a mentor at networking events to encourage young women to consider careers in skilled trades through Skills Canada – Ontario. With an increasing enthusiasm for mentorship and public speaking, Jamie founded J?urneyman - It’s a Status, Not a Gender, a grassroots mission to encourage young women to consider careers in the building and construction trades.
Jamie works on the tools in summer and winter and spends the rest of the year working with students and speaking as an expert on the recruitment and retention of youth entering underrepresented careers in Skilled Trades, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing. She has recruited a team of KickAss Ambassadors who travel across North America, attending numerous events to promote careers in Skilled Trades, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing. Her various activities have included attendance at schools, trade shows, exhibits, conferences and educational events with the KickAss Careers booth and photo booth.
