Bursaries and Scholarships for Skilled Trades

Mike Holmes started The Holmes Foundation nearly 20 years ago with the idea of creating a non-profit organization that would help and encourage young people to consider a career in the skilled trades. Through the Foundation, The Holmes Group offers scholarships and bursaries to students.

 

We are now accepting applications for 2025. 

 

The first two Holmes Foundation recipients were Charity Adams and Stephen Magneron —and we’ve come a long way from here.

 

Make It Right Awards | Mike Holmes

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Over the years, The Holmes Group has awarded over 155 Make It Right® Scholarship and Bursary awards. These include 24 Renovation Technician Awards of Excellence to Conestoga College and various other awards, totalling over $240,000.00.  

The new Make It Right® Charity Awards is presented by the Make It Right® Charity and funded by The Holmes Foundation. The goal is to encourage talented students committed to residential construction or renovation to complete their training. We want to support learning the required skills to become qualified skilled trades professionals. The Make It Right® Charity Awards are based on a combination of criteria. This may include merit, or community involvement as reflected in the application process. 

The Make it Right Charity Awards are open to all Canadian students enrolled in a post-secondary program at college, university or apprenticeship. Advancement programs like WIST – Women in Skilled Trades General Carpentry Pre-Apprenticeship program are also accepted. Any skilled trades related program will be considered.

 

 

Financial Support | Skilled Trades

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The Make it Right Charity Awards (currently valued at $2,000.00 each) are designed to encourage Canadian college, university or trade school students to complete their academic training. Research shows that many students enrolled in post-secondary education, including those in construction courses, drop out before completing their training due to a lack of funds or support.

This is particularly true for women in the trades and needs to be addressed and rectified.

 

READ MORE

Why is There a Skilled Trades Shortage?

 

Renovation Technician Awards of Excellence at Conestoga College

The Holmes Foundation has supported the Renovation Technician Awards of Excellence at Conestoga College for years. It is predicted that soon 1 in 5 new jobs will be in the skilled trades. The need for carpenters is growing.

Carpenters are responsible for constructing and improving every building from homes to schools to businesses. Carpenters are in demand more than ever now due to the critical need for new housing, renovations to existing homes and supporting our cities and communities.

The Carpentry and Renovation Technician course provides the foundation to secure work in a variety of fields, but the course also allows you to continue and pursue an apprenticeship as a General Carpenter.

Last year’s recipients were Mitchell MacCormack (black shirt) and Nicolas Driever (white shirt) and can’t wait to find out who this year’s recipients are! For more information, contact Conestoga College on this course and the many other skilled trade programs offered.

 

“Receiving this award is very impactful for me, on top of going to school full time I also work a full-time night shift in order to help pay for schooling as well as other expenses. This award will allow me to not have to put so many hours in at work, and will free up time to be able to focus more on my studies. From the bottom of my heart thank you so much for choosing me for this award, this will help me more than you realize and I really appreciate your generosity.” – Nicolas Driever, past Holmes Foundation Renovation Technician Award recipient.

 

The Holmes Foundation Helps Other Organizations

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The Holmes Foundation supported the 2017 Skills Ontario Hammer Challenge, where the Guinness World RecordsTM attempt for most people hammering a nail simultaneously! At the time, Mike Holmes and team beat the current record, which was amazing! This record was been beaten several times since then. However,  what really matters is that it was a really great experience shared with hundreds of skilled trades students, Sherry Holmes and Mike Holmes Jr.

In 2018, the Holmes Foundation had the opportunity to sponsor the awards for the Skills Ontario Gold Carpentry Competition to Zachary Unger (Durham College) and Alex Edwards (Upper Canada DSB) in Carpentry. 

Gold, Post-Secondary Carpentry Individual winner was Zachary Unger (pictured below). Alex Edwards also won in Carpentry, Gold, Secondary Carpentry but was unable to attend the award ceremony.

 

 

That year, Mike Holmes Jr also attended the Home Building contest. He also toured the competition floor with Jenn Green, Alumni Association President, and now Skills Ontario Director of Competitions & Business Development.

 

 

I’m proud of the work The Holmes Foundation has done over the years. We will continue to support the many organizations whose goal is to champion the skilled trades and remind young people of the many opportunities this sector has to offer. Good jobs, with good pay, with opportunities to grow and contribute to the communities we live in – it’s a win-win for everyone!  – Mike Holmes

 

The next few months will be exciting times for the skilled trades in Canada. The Holmes Group will be supporting SCNC 2025 (Skilled Canada National Competition) and the provincials leading up to the national competition. Plus, there’s so many other skilled trades initiatives too!. 

 

Check out the video promoting Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC). This will be held on May 29th and 30th in Regina, Saskatchewan. Be INSPIRED!

 

 

Applications for the Make It Right Charity Awards are now open!

 

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