Hi, I'm Blair Patterson, a father, husband, award-winning instructor, safety professional, coach and instructional design consultant who's spent well over a decade teaching trades skills to people just starting out all the way to red seal certification. I've seen hundreds of motivated students walk into classrooms full of hope, only to get stuck with debt from long college programs, mismatched jobs, or employers who couldn't see their potential.

I've also seen employers lose thousands on unreliable hires—turnover delays, safety risks, and lost productivity. The gap was obvious: good people want real opportunities, and good companies need reliable workers. But the system wasn't connecting them fast or fairly.

That's why I started CrewForge.

Historically, the pathway into the trades was straightforward and community-based: a young person interested in the work would approach a skilled craftsman or small shop, start as a helper or apprentice, learn by doing alongside a mentor, and earn as they went. It was a hands-on, paid entry with no tuition debt, no long classroom delays, and a clear progression from labourer to journeyman based on proven ability and reliability. The system rewarded work ethic and practical skill over formal credentials.

Today, that direct, earn-while-you-learn model has largely been replaced by longer, more expensive institutional routes—multi-year college programs, high tuition, rigid cohorts, and heavy emphasis on certifications before you ever touch real work. Many motivated people are priced out or delayed for years, while employers still struggle to find reliable entry-level help. We've drifted from a practical, merit-based entry into something slower, costlier, and less connected to the actual job site. CrewForge is built to bring back the better parts of that original path—short, low-cost, hands-on, and focused on getting good people working quickly.