Quebec City, Quebec Jul 20, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - Veteran electrical engineer Frederic Lauzier is calling on Canadians to rediscover hands-on, do-it-yourself learning as a critical step in closing the country's STEM skills gap and preparing youth for careers in engineering, trades, and technical innovation.
Lauzier, whose work over the past 15 years has helped modernize Canada's energy systems and industrial infrastructure, says practical learning played a key role in shaping his own path.
"I built a barely-working FM transmitter when I was 15 from salvaged parts," he says. "It wasnt for a grade or a contest. I just wanted to know if I could do it. That one project taught me more than a whole semester of lectures."
A Tinkering Crisis
According to Engineers Canada, nearly 45% of engineering firms report a shortage of skilled professionals, especially in fields like power systems and industrial automation. Yet fewer students are entering trades or technical programs, and many young learners lack access to real-world, tactile learning.
Weve gotten too comfortable with digital simulations and plug-and-play kits, Lauzier explains. But engineering lives in the wiring, the heat, the timing. You have to feel the resistance in a wire to really understand the flow of current.
Lauziers resume includes a federal smart grid initiative, where he helped install over 15,000 smart meters across rural Canada. He now works in R&D, developing embedded energy systems for remote northern communitiestechnology that must operate without constant human intervention.
You dont get a second chance 400 kilometers from the nearest technician, he says. Thats why fundamentals matter. Thats why hands-on experience matters.
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His personal time is equally grounded in the physical. He restores vintage radiosmost recently a 1947 wooden tabletop model with vacuum tubesand teaches soldering workshops in his hometown of Gatineau.
Wires, solder, toolskids remember that more than diagrams, he says. And they gain confidence fast.
No Labs? No Problem.
Lauzier emphasizes that fostering practical learning doesnt require advanced labs or expensive equipment.
You can do this with a few hand tools and a breadboard, he says. Fix a flashlight. Build a basic circuit. Take apart an old coffee maker. Its not about being fancyits about being curious.
He encourages parents, educators, and community groups to make space for unstructured exploration: "Let kids break stuff. Let them ask what every part does. Thats where learning lives."
Why It Matters
In a world focused on automation, smart grids, and AI, Canadas need for technical problem-solvers is growing fast. Yet, as Lauzier warns, were at risk of losing the very curiosity that drives innovation.
Were teaching kids to code before they learn how a switch works, he says. Thats backwards. Understanding the basics builds better coders, better builders, better citizens.
What You Can Do
Lauzier isnt launching a foundation or a product. Instead, hes asking individuals to take action in their own homes and communities:
- Parents: Let kids fix things around the house, even if it takes longer.
- Educators: Integrate real-world projects into your lessonscircuit kits, repair tasks, or local field trips.
- Communities: Host tool-share programs or weekend build clubs.
Mentors: Share what you knowno matter your field.
The next generation of engineers wont come from screens, he says. Theyll come from garages, basements, and kitchen tableswhere someone gave them the space to explore.
About Frederic Lauzier
Frederic Lauzier is a licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Energy Manager based in Ottawa, Ontario. He has contributed to national smart grid projects, off-grid infrastructure, and industrial automation. He restores vintage electronics and mentors young engineers across Canada.
Source :Frederic Lauzier
This article was originally published by IssueWire. Read the original article here.