From training to the trades

Steve Stewart had wanted to become a millwright for years. The opportunity arrived via an unexpected route.

After leaving high school during a difficult period in his life, Steve later returned to complete his diploma and enrolled in the Electrical Engineering Technician program at Loyalist College. The beginning of his career would take him through mining, Alberta’s oil sands and several manufacturing roles.

Along the way, Steve missed an opportunity to begin a millwright apprenticeship at another workplace. But the goal stayed with him.

When he joined Kruger PRO in 2017, Steve was looking for permanent, stable work. He started as an operator, bringing with him the technical education he’d gained at Loyalist and practical experience from his previous roles.

Within his first year, an opportunity arose to apply for an apprenticeship at Kruger PRO. Steve completed the required testing and secured one of the available positions. He was the oldest of four employees beginning their apprenticeships together, but he was finally getting the opportunity to pursue a goal he’d held since before college.

“I had wanted to be a millwright for quite a long time, even before I went to school,” he says. “I’m pretty happy with what I do now and where I am.”

Today, Steve works as an Industrial Mechanic, also known as a millwright, at Kruger PRO’s Quinte West manufacturing facility. He maintains, repairs and fabricates components for the machinery that keeps the facility moving.

The electrical knowledge Steve developed at Loyalist remains part of the broad technical foundation he draws on every day. The work calls for patience, curiosity and the ability to approach a problem from more than one angle.

“We’re not always lucky enough that we can just go to the store and buy the part,” he says. “Sometimes we have to fabricate it, repair it and put it back in.”

The variety is part of what keeps him engaged.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and puzzling things out,” Steve says. “There’s always something new and challenging to figure out.”

That mindset has served Steve throughout a career shaped by persistence and a willingness to keep learning. It now informs the way he supports others, too.

During his own apprenticeship, Steve worked alongside experienced tradespeople who shared their knowledge and helped him develop his approach to the work. Today, he mentors newer apprentices at Kruger PRO, passing along what he’s learned while encouraging them to develop their own judgement.

For Steve, the exchange of knowledge is an essential part of the skilled trades. “One of my mentors told me to remember the best things every millwright teaches you,” he says. “You carry the best lessons forward.”

His work at Kruger PRO has also allowed him to build a stable career close to the people and places that matter to him. Steve and his wife, Tara, both work at the facility. Outside of work, they enjoy hunting, fishing and the quiet of the outdoors near their home in Marmora.

Looking back, Steve’s career may not have followed the path he first imagined. But each new experience helped him develop the knowledge and perspective he brings to his work today.

For those considering entering manufacturing or the skilled trades, his story shows that there is no single right way to get started. A rewarding career can take shape over time through training, hands-on experience and the willingness to keep looking for the next opportunity.