Blog
Volunteer your time to reach the next generation
- By: admin
- On: 12/18/2025 10:07:56
- In: Press Releases
Volunteer your time to reach the next generation
Recently I had the opportunity to speak to students from Glenview Park Secondary school in Cambridge, On. The Business & Education Partnership of Waterloo Region (BEPWR) put on a number of career days at schools in the region. They invited volunteers in to provide career talks to the students. In this case, myself and 2 other volunteers began the day speaking to a grad 9 class. We each took about 10 minutes discussing our own career path and then opened it up to the students to ask us questions. Next we split off and spoke to grade 10 students in smaller groups of 6 to 8 students for small group discussions to once again discuss our personal career journey. While this invitation to speak was not intended to promote an industry, when you tell your career story, which has been solely in the transportation industry since you were 18 years old, it ends up being a promotion of the industry simply by telling your story and the various paths it has taken.
In this case, the total number of students I was able to interact with was just short of 40. Was every student interested in what I had to say?? No. However, there were a number of students who were, asked thoughtful questions and were keenly interested in the career paths of myself and the other volunteers. Many were very surprised at all the different roles in the industry and had no idea that the industry is the 2nd highest employer in the country, behind only the hospitality industry. Some of the best questions had nothing to do with the industry at all. One question I was asked by a student was “did you make any bad mistakes in your career, and do you have any regrets?”. My answer? Yes, I have made many mistakes, but I do not have any regrets. The young girl who asked the question then probed further, wondering how I could make a mistake but not regret it. After giving it some thought, I told the group mistakes are how we learn. With hindsight, would I have made a different decision and perhaps never made the mistake, yes, however every mistake I have made in my life has led me to where I am today, and today I am very happy with where I am and changing one thing back then, may have changed my path. I believe looking back and learning and thinking about things is very important, however I feel regretting is a wasted energy. The student looked at me and said “good answer, I never thought of it that way”.Recently I had the opportunity to speak to students from Glenview Park Secondary school in Cambridge, On. The Business & Education Partnership of Waterloo Region (BEPWR) put on a number of career days at schools in the region. They invited volunteers in to provide career talks to the students. In this case, myself and 2 other volunteers began the day speaking to a grad 9 class. We each took about 10 minutes discussing our own career path and then opened it up to the students to ask us questions. Next we split off and spoke to grade 10 students in smaller groups of 6 to 8 students for small group discussions to once again discuss our personal career journey. While this invitation to speak was not intended to promote an industry, when you tell your career story, which has been solely in the transportation industry since you were 18 years old, it ends up being a promotion of the industry simply by telling your story and the various paths it has taken.
I have been lucky enough to speak to students at various Waterloo Region Schools over the last 6 years, with students ranging from grade 7 to 12. My introduction to the BEPWR was made by Shelley Walker of the Women's Trucking Federation of Canada. Shelley was very involved with the group; knew they were looking for more volunteers to speak to students and approached me with the suggestion I volunteer. I was delighted to hear that schools were open to the process, and I jumped at the opportunity. Earlier in my career I had approached my local high school and asked if they would be interested in having me and others speak to their students about the transportation industry, I was politely told to leave some information pamphlets, and they would reach back if there was any interest….I never heard back. As a result, when Shelley informed me of this opportunity, I was ecstatic.
Over the years I have lost track of how many students I have spoken to, some doing career talks, while other times being asked to do a presentation specifically on the transportation industry. I do not remember all the classes, but I do remember many conversations. At one presentation 3 years
ago, I was presenting to a grade 9 class in Waterloo. I had explained to the students that if they did not know what they wanted to do for the rest of their life, that was fine, try different things out, if you don't like it, try something else, you do not need to have your whole life laid out at this young of an age. I explained to the student my career path, how I had no idea what I was going to do at the start of it, but my entire 33 years at the time had been in the same industry, with different roles, going from driver to trainer, to safety and compliance manger, to my current role Leading a Trucking Association. Once the talk was over, a student came up to me and asked if he could talk to me at the side. The student confided in me that they struggled in school and thought if he was not able to achieve at a high level in college or university he had no career path. He thanked me for telling my story and indicated he thought that after high school he was going to work in the transportation industry, and that he know had hope that he could have a successful job and career. Stories like this, and the one above about regrets, are why I find these talks very rewarding. Students today are the next generation. We need to give back and let the future know what opportunities they have, and to be frank, open and willing to talk. They are looking for advice and guidance, the same as we once were. I encourage you to reach out to your local school board, ask if they are looking for people to talk to their students about their career or their industry. Give your time to help the future, trust me, you will find it just as rewarding as the students do!
Mike Millian
President
PMTC