Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators on Prince Edward Island 

Across Prince Edward Island, STEAM PEI is helping youth imagine new futures through hands-on exploration in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. With support from the Rideau Hall Foundation’s Catapult Canada grant, the organization is launching the STEAM Careers Lab, a province-wide initiative that gives underrepresented youth access to exciting, practical, and inclusive learning experiences in high-demand sectors such as bioscience, clean tech, agriculture, and cybersecurity. 

Building Confidence and Opportunity Through Hands-On Learning 

Through workshops, field trips, themed camps, and after-school programs, the STEAM Careers Lab connects youth aged 12–18 with mentors and real-world experiences that bring learning to life. Participants will explore how STEAM skills apply to everyday challenges, from clean energy to food production, while developing the confidence and curiosity to pursue future careers in these growing fields. Each session is designed to make learning accessible and fun, meeting youth where they are, whether in Charlottetown, Summerside, or small rural communities across the Island. 

“Thanks to the RHF’s Catapult grant, STEAM PEI is opening doors to future STEAM careers for PEI youth who haven’t always had access to these opportunities. This support empowers young people to discover their potential in clean tech, bioscience, agriculture, cybersecurity and other fields, building skills and confidence that will eventually shape stronger communities across PEI,” says the STEAM PEI team. 

Expanding Access to STEAM Pathways 

On PEI, many young people, particularly those from low-income, rural, Indigenous, newcomer, and racialized communities, face barriers to pursuing STEAM education and careers. Limited exposure to role models, lack of hands-on opportunities, and geographic isolation often make STEAM pathways feel out of reach. The STEAM Careers Lab directly addresses these gaps by bringing mobile, inclusive programming to communities across the province and partnering with schools and organizations like the Abegweit First Nation, Lennox Island First Nation, and the Black Cultural Society of PEI to ensure content is relevant and culturally grounded. 

Empowering Island Youth with Support from the Rideau Hall Foundation 

With funding from the Rideau Hall Foundation’s Catapult Canada initiative, STEAM PEI is expanding its reach to engage more than 3,000 Island youth in accessible, career-focused learning. Catapult support enables STEAM PEI to enhance partnerships with schools and industry, provide bilingual and inclusive programming, and deliver high-quality, hands-on experiences that connect education to opportunity. 

By investing in STEAM PEI’s Careers Lab, the Rideau Hall Foundation is helping young people across Prince Edward Island discover their potential, build essential 21st-century skills, and see themselves as future innovators shaping the Island’s economy and beyond.