Youth from various schools and communities sat and listened to music by DJ Shub from A Tribe Called Red during lunch hour.

This year marks the 18th annual Stepping Stones Career Fair in Regina that brings youth together from different schools and communities with more than 70 Saskatchewan-based career and education exhibitors. Saskatchewan’s largest Indigenous career fair had 44 volunteers, over 75 registered booths, and almost 50 schools attended this year.

The event coordinator Louise BigEagle said this year was the biggest turnout they’ve ever had and hopes the career fair will continue to grow to give youth ideas of what’s available to them.

“It gives youth a chance to interact in a fun way with exhibitors, ask them some questions that they may want to know,” she said. “Especially kids who come from rural areas who don’t really get that experience or get that opportunity to speak one on one with businesses, schools, universities, things like that. Just to get an idea of what they want for a career once they are finished high school.”

Creedance Eagle will soon to graduate with an adult 12 at South East College in Indian Head and he was still unsure what career path was ahead of him until he attended the career fair. Careers in heavy equipment operating and the military have caught his attention.

Madisen Gordon from Gordon’s First Nation said attending the career fair was pretty cool but nothing that she had in mind for after she completes high school next year.

“There’s not a lot of booths I want to check out because there’s a lot of trade booths,” she said. “I want to go to university for science.”

Gordon wants to study at either the University of Regina or at the University of Manitoba to become a doctor. Although the career fair didn’t have the booths she was looking for, she said the annual event is still beneficial for other youth.

Creedance Eagle who’s finishing his adult 12 at South East College in Indian Head attended the Stepping Stones career fair with hopes of finding an opportunity after he graduates.

“I’m not too sure what I’m going to do yet but that’s why I’m here to around, checking out different opportunities and careers,” he said. “So far heavy equipment operating and military have interested me.”

This year, BigEagle and organizers invited special guests and high-profile role models to inspire and motivate the youth. Devon Fiddler from She Native attended to speak to the youth along with Jeremy Thompson from Saskatchewan Rush talked about his experiences and how he is a Nike endorsed athlete and N7 ambassador. Shana Pasap, owner of Power Our Women (POW) came in did a demonstration after the lunch entertainment was completed. Pasap did a presentation and spoke on her experiences and also performed a self-defence demo for women and girls.

During the lunch hour, DJ Shub from A Tribe Called Red played music with two dancing male pow-wow dancers that entertained the crowd. The Stepping Stones career fair was MC’ed by the newly elected FSIN Youth Ambassadors, Rollin Baldhead and Darian Lonechild.

“This year we wanted to give some youth an opportunity to come be MCs,” said BigEagle. “We had them this year for the career fair which was really good.”

Madisen Gordon who attended this year’s Stepping Stones Career Fair wants to study medicine at the University of Regina or University of Manitoba to become a doctor after she graduates high school next year.

Organizers added a special photography photo booth to give something fun for the kids to go take pictures and have some memories to take home with them.