Member Spotlight: John Sengia
Originally from Pennsylvania, John is a chemical engineer working in the climate tech space. He’s a digital nomad who loves travelling, seeing new places, enjoying the wilderness and doing lots of hiking. His work focuses on sustainable refrigeration systems, including heat pumps and chillers, as well as consulting related to climate policy for companies and, occasionally,…
Meet the Maker: Cindy Ngo
Cindy is originally from Yellowknife, NT, and is currently a student at Yukon University. She is passionate about mental health advocacy, climate and social justice, learning and cooking new foods, and is looking forward to learning laser cutting. She joined Yukonstruct last year, and left for a few months to focus on studying Early Learning…
Meet the Maker: Orlan Lumantao
Orlan began his journey as an Operations Assistant, finding immense satisfaction in all aspects of the job. He found particular joy in leading tours and orientations for new members. His commitment and strong work ethic paved the way for a new opportunity at Yukonstruct, stepping into the role of Bookings and Admin Coordinator. As he…
Repair Café Pop-Up With Solvest
Join us at the Repair Café pop-up on Saturday, June 8th, from 12noon to 2pm, as part of Solvest’s World Environment Day at Lumel’s Studios & Lumel Glass! Repair Café has a team of dedicated makers who believe in repairing, not replacing. We’ve been hosting monthly events at Yukonstruct helping our community fix their things…
Recap: Yukonstruct’s First Business After Hours Event
In May, we had the fantastic opportunity to partner with the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce to host Yukonstruct’s First Business After Hours. As the season’s last Business After Hours event, it was a night to remember, filled with innovation, community spirit, and celebration. As we celebrate a decade of nurturing creativity and innovation, we welcomed…
Women Investors & Entrepreneurs Day 2024 – Recap
In February and March, we partnered with the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) to deliver workshops and roundtables on business financing and angel investment for women entrepreneurs. Thank you to all the women (and a few kids and babies) who shared experiences, knowledge, frustrations and ideas for a stronger financial foundation and empowerment in women-led businesses in…
Recap: NorthwesTel’s March Break Kids Camp at Yukonstruct
In March, our March Break Kids Camp, sponsored by NorthwesTel, sparked creativity in seven young innovators. They explored Yukonstruct Makespace’s key areas – woodshop, metal shop, digital fabrication, and textiles – gaining hands-on experience. Each project built confidence and skills in a supportive, fun environment. We started by crafting skateboards from veneers using SK8CAD under…
Meet the Maker: Tong Shao
Tong relocated from Kitchener-Waterloo to Whitehorse, where her friend, a fellow Yukonstruct member, introduced her to Northlight Innovations. She was impressed by the space’s functionality and the friendliness of the people she encountered. She found working with and serving entrepreneurs and innovators to be a rewarding career, which motivated her to join Yukonstruct.
Nurturing Community Through Yukonstruct Values
At the heart of Yukonstruct lies a deep commitment to nurturing a sense of community and belonging. We believe that within this community, we can co-create an organization that provides a welcoming, inclusive space for all Yukoners to bring their ideas to life. Our values, encapsulated in five core principles, guide us in building a…
Rural Spotlight: Dennis And Jenny Shorty
Dennis Shorty is a musician, master carver, artist, drummaker, and storyteller from Ross River. His journey into art began by observing his family’s carving traditions, evolving into a spiritual practice connecting him with his ancestors. Despite challenges faced during the Residential School years, Dennis is dedicated to revitalizing his cultural legacy. Dennis’s mission in life,…
Meet the Maker: Cedrick Vinoya
Cedrick initially joined Yukonstruct as an Operations Assistant and has since moved into the Social Media and Community Coordinator role. As a newcomer and former international student, Cedrick is working to start his community project called Beyond Borders Youth Network. This project aims to build a strong support system that transcends cultural barriers, serving as…
Yukonstruct at the 2023 Fireweed Market: Fostering Community Creativity and Entrepreneurship
In the summer of 2023, Yukonstruct started a new initiative hosting a booth at the Fireweed Market in Whitehorse. This is a noteworthy milestone in the organization’s journey of community engagement and commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation. The annual summer market has traditionally served as a gathering point for farmers, artisans, creators, and entrepreneurs in…
STEAM Programs with Connected North
We’re happy to celebrate the success of Connected North and the STEAM programs that are engaging students in Yukon schools! Connected North brings live virtual learning sessions directly to students all across Canada’s North. Through this platform, teachers can choose from a wide range of dynamic sessions delivered by experts in various subjects, offering an…
Rural Spotlight: Erin Holm
My name is Erin Holm, I moved up to the Yukon on a whim from Saskatchewan in 2018. My corporate (9-5) is in marketing and I’m also an Indigenous Governance student at YukonU. I started Den Designs back in 2016 in memory of and in honour of my late father, Dennis (hence Den Designs). Den…
Rural Spotlight: Lue Maxwell
As a northern and rural entrepreneur, Lue Maxwell’s experience and basket of tricks include facilitating workshops and training in professional development, entrepreneurship, and well-being in mind, body, and spirit. Adding to that are customized career and life coaching, personal transformational energy coaching, and hypnotherapy. She also carves out time to create and produce a line…
Celebrating Connections: A Recap of Yukon Innovation Week 2023
What an amazing journey we’ve had during Yukon Innovation Week! Now, as we collectively pause to reflect on the surge of innovation and connections forged throughout this extraordinary week, it’s clear that the impact goes far beyond our initial expectations. Under the theme ‘Connecting Innovators,’ we immersed ourselves in a dynamic celebration that transcended the…
