Where Passion Meets Profession: Insights from HIEC’s Kelly Hoey, Winner of the 2024 Social Change Award – National Impact

Did you always know what you wanted to do growing up? Think back to high school, when you were preparing for college, university, or trade school. Choosing what to study felt like the first major step into adulthood, but many of us took that leap without having a clear answer. 

Expecting young graduates to have their future careers entirely mapped out is unrealistic. With so many paths to choose from, they may not know what’s possible or have yet to see anyone successfully pursuing work that aligns with their passions and interests. 

That’s where people like Kelly Hoey come in. As executive director of the Halton Industry Education Council-Career Centre (HIEC), a non-profit that bridges business and education, Kelly helps connect educators, employers, and students to support career readiness, workforce development, and economic growth. 

Kelly’s own career path is proof that the journey isn’t always straightforward. She began in alumni and development after university, then transitioned into the corporate world, thinking it would be a better fit — only to quickly realize it wasn’t the right environment for her. 

“I always thought [a corporate environment was] where I would head, and I didn’t enjoy it, and I didn’t end up pursuing that pathway. I went back to the not-for-profit sector and realized that I was better suited to community purpose and social impact,” she says. 

Joining HIEC on a six-month contract in the early 90s, Kelly was new to the career development space, but she ended up finding a place that would nurture her skills and turn her into the formidable leader she is today. 

“I didn’t know what career development was, and it was this initiative that was about helping young people connect to the world of work as a not-for-profit organization. [I worked with] passionate people who felt strongly about extending learning beyond the classroom,” she says.  

“Who knew that [I’d end] up staying for 33 years?” 

For the last three decades, HIEC has supported thousands of young people under Kelly’s leadership. With a mission to help students think of career development as a lifelong process instead of one linear path with a final destination, Kelly aims to ease the pressure and anxiety young people feel when deciding on a career path.  

“The pressure to choose can feel quite heavy for young people,” she says. “To think that they’re supposed to have it figured out and base their course selection [on that] causes a lot of stress.” 

By providing experiential learning opportunities, guidance, mentorship, and industry connections, HIEC empowers students to explore the full range of possibilities for their future careers. 

As a perceptive entrepreneur, Kelly was one of the first people to use technology to connect job seekers with opportunities in the skilled trades. Launching ApprenticeSearch.com at HIEC in 1999, this website was an innovative, never-before-seen regional tool that has now become a key platform bridging the gap between apprentices and employers. Today, the website operates nationally, removing barriers to apprenticeship by helping capable candidates find jobs while also assisting small, medium, and large-sized businesses in hiring the talent they need to thrive.  

Over two decades after ApprenticeSearch.com, Kelly and the HIEC team continue to find innovative ways to prepare students for life after elementary and secondary school. Taking on the organization’s most impactful initiative to date, HIEC recently launched the Ontario Career Lab. This first-of-its-kind career coaching initiative merges education, community, and industry, allowing students to explore career pathways by connecting with people who have worked in those roles. Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education, it offers support to students in grades nine and 10 across the publicly funded school system. 

With almost 47.3% of young students in Ontario not feeling prepared for life after their compulsory education, Kelly knows how impactful this program will be for young people and their ability to have successful employment outcomes. 

“Career conversations have a measurable impact on students aged 14 to 16, and we want them to become engaged with the labour market and stay engaged — all of that is about good decision-making, good networks, and good exposure,” she says. 

“[This program] will drastically enhance kids’ foundations, and [knowing] that it’s not just about picking something; it’s about having conversations and understanding what’s out there, who you are, and how it aligns.” 

Outside of HIEC, Kelly has held several leadership roles, including Co-Chair of the Canadian Business Education Partnership, Director on the Board of The Centre for Skills Development and Training, and Founding Member of the Ministry of Education Council for Experiential Learning. These roles reflect her entrepreneurial mindset and innate passion for helping others — qualities that continue to shape her work. 

Favouring a collaborative, horizontal leadership style over a top-down approach, Kelly’s trust in her team contributed to her nomination for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards in the Social Change: National Impact category. 

Although she didn’t expect to win, the recognition was deeply meaningful. 

“Winning the award celebrated not just my journey, but the transformative impact we’ve had as an organization, as a team, as volunteers — as all these people who have contributed along the way,” she says. “It was a great recognition for our team. The leadership team was there [at the awards ceremony], and I felt really proud of them.” 

Reflecting on the experience, Kelly emphasizes that her win goes far beyond personal achievement. 

“[Winning] strengthens my voice as a [woman] in a leadership role, because that’s not always easy, but it also heightens my responsibility and commitment to promote and advocate and lift other women up.”