Social Entrepreneur · Educator · MBA Candidate
Jonathan
Belinsky
Red Seal Journeyman Carpenter · B.Ed (Honours) · Permanent Alberta Teaching Certificate. Bridging skilled trades, education, and business innovation to empower Indigenous youth and build sustainable communities.
About Me
A Uniquely Triple-Qualified
Professional
I'm a Red Seal Journeyman Carpenter, a certified teacher with a B.Ed (Honours) and Permanent Alberta Teaching Certificate, and an MBA Candidate at the University of Fredericton. This rare combination of hands-on trade expertise, educational leadership, and business acumen allows me to build programs that create real economic and social impact.
At Mamawi Atosketan Native School in Maskwacis, Alberta, I've transformed a standard industrial arts class into a flagship social enterprise and career launchpad for Indigenous youth. Working alongside co-writer and lawyer Lynn McDowell and co-leader Pr. Tsholofelo Sebetlela, I've helped secure almost $400,000 in funding and in-kind support in the first three years, forged national corporate partnerships with Bosch Power Tools Canada and AXYZ CNC, and launched Alberta's only on-campus dual-credit carpentry program at a high school.
I'm pursuing an MBA to scale these proven models of social enterprise and sustainable workforce development — turning community impact into replicable business strategy.
Core Competencies
Partnerships & Impact
Building National Partnerships
From the Ground Up
In the first three years at MANS, I secured major corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and in-kind donations totaling almost $400,000 — transforming a small school shop into a nationally recognized construction technologies program.
Two grants from J. Richard Bird's foundation: an initial $98,000 (2024) to build the Bird Construction Building Technologies Shop, and a $78,000 Mobile Expansion grant (2025) to extend program reach.
Read moreCorporate partnership (2025) as the official portable power tool provider. Over $50,000 in professional-grade tools equipping students with industry-standard equipment.
Industry partnership (2026) providing a used industrial CNC valued at $50,000 USD — giving students hands-on experience with commercial computerized shaping equipment for cabinetry and millwork.
Grant for 3D printers and Tiny House Energy (2025/2026) — supporting the integration of additive manufacturing and sustainable energy education into the construction program.
Programs I Lead
Two Interconnected Programs
Serving Maskwacis
Bird Construction Building Technologies Shop
Alberta's only on-campus dual-credit carpentry program at a high school. Students earn credits toward their post-secondary carpentry certification while still in high school, creating a direct-to-college pipeline that saves a full year of post-secondary training. The program was approved by Alberta Education thanks to my unique dual qualifications as both a Red Seal Carpenter and certified teacher. Generated national media coverage on CBC News.
Inspire Mamawi Leadership
A combined construction and youth leadership program co-led with Pr. Tsholofelo Sebetlela, empowering Indigenous students to become leaders and entrepreneurs. Students apply, interview, and earn summer employment while developing real-world construction skills through progressively larger builds.
The program implements a peer-mentorship model where senior students train junior members, fostering leadership development and improving instructional capacity. Recruitment has expanded across multiple communities including Medicine Hat and Lacombe.
Program Growth
Three Years of
Progressive Impact
The Foundation
- ▸6 MANS students employed through Inspire Mamawi Leadership
- ▸Built a community gazebo — outdoor classroom centrepiece
- ▸3-day carpentry workshop open to all Maskwacis teens
- ▸Travel to Yellowknife for week-long youth programming
- ▸Secured $98,000 Ptarmigan Foundation grant for shop upgrade
The Expansion
- ▸Program grew to 10 students (67% growth)
- ▸Recruited Indigenous youth from Medicine Hat and Lacombe
- ▸Completed full house renovation project
- ▸Featured on CBC Edmonton News nationally
- ▸Forged Bosch Power Tools Canada partnership ($50K+)
- ▸Secured $78,000 Ptarmigan Mobile Expansion grant
The Scale
- ▸Tiny house build — pathway to revenue generation
- ▸AXYZ CNC partnership ($50K USD industrial equipment)
- ▸Inside Education $5K grant for 3D printers & energy
- ▸Dual-credit carpentry program fully operational
- ▸Total program funding approaching $400,000
- ▸Pursuing MBA to formalize scaling strategy
In the News
Media Coverage &
Recognition
"Maskwacis Students Are Building Their Futures With Carpentry Class"
CBC Edmonton featured our construction technologies program and the impact it's having on Indigenous students in Maskwacis. The story highlighted how students are gaining real-world skills, earning dual credits, and building confidence through hands-on learning.
Watch on CBCCareer History
Professional Experience
Program Architect & Lead, Construction Technologies & Inspire Mamawi Leadership
Recruited to transform a standard industrial arts class into a flagship social enterprise and career launchpad for Indigenous youth. Architected and currently leads two interconnected programs serving the Maskwacis community.
- ▸Business Development & Fundraising: Secured with co-writer and lawyer Lynn McDowell over $125,000 in funding and in-kind donations within 18 months. Authored the proposal that won a $98,000 Ptarmigan Foundation grant, plus a $78,000 expansion grant. Total program funding approaching $400,000 in 3 years.
- ▸Product & Program Innovation: Designed and launched Alberta's only on-campus dual-credit carpentry program at a high school, creating a direct-to-college pipeline. Generated national media coverage on CBC News.
- ▸Strategic Growth & Scalability: Co-led with Pr. Tsholofelo Sebetlela the growth of IML by 67% (6 to 10+ students). Scaled project complexity annually: gazebo → house renovation → tiny house build.
- ▸Leadership & Human Capital: Co-implemented a peer-mentorship model empowering senior students to train junior members, fostering leadership development and instructional capacity.
- ▸Corporate Partnerships: Forged national partnerships with Bosch Power Tools Canada ($50K+) and AXYZ CNC ($50K USD), reducing capital costs and aligning student training with industry standards.
Mobile CTS Program Manager & Instructor
Managed and operated a decentralized Career and Technology Studies program, delivering hands-on skilled trades education to 6 remote schools annually from a custom-outfitted mobile semi-trailer.
- ▸Operations Management: Oversaw all logistics, scheduling, and maintenance for the mobile workshop, ensuring consistent service delivery across a wide geographic region.
- ▸Project Management: Led students through complex, multi-month builds including large-scale sheds and a solar panel array powering a school greenhouse; managing budgets, timelines, and safety protocols.
- ▸Consulting & Expansion: Provided advisory consulting to other school districts, Medicine Hat College, and non-profits on the operational and financial models required to launch similar mobile vocational programs.
- ▸Technology Integration: Implemented Robotics, 3D printing, CNC woodshop, and K-6 Maker-space programming, expanding the scope of vocational education across the district.
Founder & Operator
- ▸Entrepreneurship & P&L Management: Founded and operated a residential renovation company, holding full responsibility for sales, client acquisition, project bidding, material procurement, financial management, and execution of all renovation projects.
Journeyman Carpenter
- ▸Executed large-scale commercial and residential construction projects as a Red Seal certified Journeyman Carpenter, including new home builds, school renovations, and custom furniture fabrication.
Earlier Career & Practicum
12-week practicum teaching 6 subjects to 29 students (Gr. 5/6 combined); utilized Collaborative Response Model and benchmark assessments (STAR, MIPI).
5-week practicum + extended volunteer; designed individualized lesson plans incorporating 3D design, printing, and Robotics.
20-hour literacy practicum; developed 2nd-grade Language Arts lessons using Alberta curriculum and Balanced Literacy stations.
22-hour practicum; developed and instructed Grade 8 CTS/CTF, Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies units.
Awards & Recognition
Grants, Partnerships &
Honours
Initial $98,000 grant (2024) + $78,000 Mobile Expansion (2025)
Corporate partnership (2025) — Power tools worth over $50,000
Industry partnership (2026) — Used Industrial CNC valued at $50,000 USD
3D Printers and Tiny House Energy (2025/2026)
National feature (2024) — Construction technologies program spotlight
MRU Honour Roll, Louise McKinney Scholarship, Phi Theta Kappa (2018)
References
Professional References
Get in Touch
Let's Build Something
Together
Whether you're interested in partnerships, speaking engagements, or discussing how trades education can drive social enterprise — I'd love to connect.