Many WinSETT workshop and skill builder participants have had the pleasure of attending sessions with the multitalented Kandis Neth. Kandis’ background in Chemical Engineering and Adult Education provides an amazing foundation for her work with WinSETT. WinSETT was able to catch up with Kandis just after she had returned from a trip to the Arctic!

Which one of the 4 pillars of WinSETT (Science, Engineering, Trades and Technology) best aligns with your background?

Engineering – I graduated from the University of Alberta in Chemical Engineering (Coop).

How long have you been a facilitator with WinSETT?

Almost 5 years, I started working with WinSETT in Feb 2018.

How did you become a facilitator for WinSETT?

Although I had volunteered with WiSEST in university, I wasn’t fully aware of the work WinSETT did before I joined the team. An HR colleague of mine had facilitated for WinSETT, encouraged me to check it out when they were looking for more facilitators in Western Canada (and recommended me).  I was very excited to be a part of the WinSETT team as it aligned with my mission to focus on work that supported women in business and SETT.

Why did you choose this type of work?

I am not sure I “chose” this type of work initially; I sort of fell into it over time. I often joke that if someone said to me when I was younger that I would find one career that combined all my interests, I wouldn’t have believed them, but this is it! Once I realized that I had a passion for facilitation, I went back to get my Master of Education in Adult Education so that I could continue to hone my skills and offer impactful learning experiences.

I realize that your work for WinSETT is only a portion of the work you do, what other consulting work do you do?

I transformed my engineering and leadership expertise and desire for lifelong learning and sharing knowledge into business consulting, I started my own business (R3K Consulting) supporting leadership development, process optimization, and stakeholder engagement. Within that I specialize in communication, emotional intelligence, team building and instructional design.

Which topic of the WinSETT Skill Builders do you enjoy facilitating the most?

Honestly, I love them all! If I had to choose my top three it would be Exploring Communication Styles, Emotional Intelligence, and Introduction to Negotiation.

Part of attending a WinSETT program is the opportunity to meet and build a network of other SETT professionals. How do you help build rapport amongst skill builder (or workshop) participants?

I really try to create a safe adult learning environment for all our participants by encouraging them that wherever they are starting at is where they need to be, with no judgement – which is difficult for adults. My role as a facilitator is to promote learning through conversation and dialogue, tapping into their experience and connecting that with the concepts supported by research that are proven to accelerate their potential. Adults have so much wisdom in their experience and by reflecting on it in the frameworks we provide and by learning from each other the participants discover they already have the knowledge to be strategic and amplify it. It is important to be reminded that we are not alone and as unique as we are as individuals many of us still have similar struggles and insecurities which is part of being human.

Do you have any memorable experiences from your work with WinSETT you’d like to share?

The first WinSETT workshop I attended as a participant was Communication for Women in SETT at an APEGA conference. This is where I realized that I wanted to do this work and made it known to my network that this is what I wanted. Flash forward to my first in person facilitated workshop in Calgary, Alberta – it was Networking, Mentorship and Sponsorship. I was a living example of how powerful this topic is, as I wouldn’t have been facilitating had it not been for the skills we teach! It really came full circle!