We are thrilled to announce Anne Lee as one of our four distinguished 2025 Dakota Prep Fellows! Currently a 3rd-year electrical apprentice at Vancouver Island University, Anne exemplifies the leadership, mentorship, and community-building spirit that the Dakota Prep Fellowship celebrates.
It’s more accurate to describe Anne's journey to the electrical trade as a remarkable career pivot. After establishing herself as a Chartered Professional Accountant working for prestigious Big 4 accounting firms across Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, Anne made the bold decision to completely reinvent her professional identity. This wasn't just a job change—it was a fundamental shift from office boardrooms to construction sites, from financial documents to electrical systems.
"I was drawn to the electrical trade as it required a higher mathematical and analytical aptitude in problem solving and had such a diversity of opportunities and specializations in the field," Anne shares. "With the current electrical technology advances and push towards renewable energy solutions, an electrical career will consistently remain in high demand."
What truly sets Anne apart is how she's leveraging her unique background to lift up other trades workers. As Treasurer of the BC Trades Society and the only current apprentice on their Board of Directors, Anne brings a vital perspective to addressing the needs of today's apprentices.
Working with the BCIT School of Construction & Environment, Anne created an open-source resource to build financial literacy, "Financial Freedom for Trades Workers" . This handbook has evolved into a full micro-credential curriculum, "Financial Essentials for Trades Workers," with Anne serving as the primary instructor. The comprehensive program addresses a critical gap in skills for many tradespeople: personal budgeting, investment strategies, tax planning and available credits, financial planning for business ownership, and accessing grants and funding opportunities specific to the trades.
To date, this program has provided full-tuition scholarships to approximately 100 trades students, 85% of whom are fellow electrical apprentices. Participants have shared how this knowledge has transformed their financial outlook, ultimately helping them leverage their trades income into long-term financial security and even entrepreneurship.
Her mentor, Anna Lary, Project Lead at BCIT's ConnectHER Hub, praises Anne's accomplishments: "Anne has provided mentorship and peer support to her fellow apprentices by sharing her unique journey in the trades...Anne has shown a clear commitment to fostering a more strongly connected trades community, empowering others to increase their business sense and financial literacy."
Beyond her contributions to financial education, Anne has been a powerful advocate for addressing the critical skilled trades shortage in Canada. She recognizes an untapped opportunity: while the electrical industry has traditionally attracted male workers, there's an entire segment of the population largely uninvolved in the trades.
As one of the few women on many construction sites, she has gained unique insights into how the industry can attract and retain more workers from all backgrounds. Anne takes a solution-oriented approach to this challenge—sharing her perspectives at industry events and networking sessions, including presenting at BCIT's Electrical Networking Event and Contracting workshops. Soon, she'll appear as a panelist at the Canadian Apprenticeship Conference to discuss practical strategies for building a stronger, equitable electrical workforce.
"In a time of critical skilled trades shortages, we simply can't afford to recruit from only half of the population," Anne notes. Her work with the BC Trades Society focuses on creating practical pathways and support systems to bring untapped talent into the electrical trade, addressing workforce gaps while creating new opportunities for economic mobility across the entire Canadian population.
Anne's story demonstrates that there's no single path to success in the electrical trade. Her remarkable pivot, trading boardroom presentations for tool belts shatters preconceived notions of traditional career trajectories. In her willingness to make such a major career change in her 40s, she shows high school students that it's never too late to pursue a fulfilling career in the trades, and there are transferable skills from just about any industry to the electrical field.
Furthermore, her work highlights how the electrical trade provides opportunities beyond technical fulfillment: leadership, teaching, community building, and financial security that rival or exceed those in traditional white-collar professions.
As Anne puts it: "Apprentices see how a career in the trades can take them on the road to financial independence, and what direct supports are available to them to complete their Red Seal Endorsement."
The Dakota Prep Fellowship will help Anne expand her mentorship network and support her as she continues building connections between employers and apprentices, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.
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The Dakota Prep Fellowship recognizes and supports exceptional electrical apprentices across Canada who have demonstrated a deep commitment to mentoring and assisting their peers. Each Fellow receives a $1,000 award and national recognition for their contributions to building a stronger, more connected trades community.
Dakota Prep's mission is to empower individuals to build successful careers in the trades. Through intuitive and impactful digital products, we help students prepare for and pass their trade exams, advancing to journeyman status. To date, we've supported over 10,000 students from over 30+ schools and unions in Canada, making their dreams of a successful trades career a reality.