The CUSW Spotlight Podcast

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, host Dan Plexman sits down with Valerie (Val) Vanderwyk, Executive Director of ISEAD - Indigenous Skills, Employment, Apprenticeship & Development - a national Indigenous not-for-profit committed to supporting Indigenous youth, communities, and their pathways into education, training, and the skilled trades.
Val shares her personal story as a Mi'kmaq woman and Sixties Scoop survivor, and speaks openly about the importance of community, lifelong learning, and building relationships based on trust, sincerity, and shared responsibility. She reflects on ISEAD’s longstanding partnership with CUSW, describing it as an unwavering relationship rooted in mutual respect, support, and a genuine sense of family.
Together, Val and Dan explore reconciliation as a personal journey, not a checklist. Reconciliation is a daily practice that shapes how we learn, work, and show up for one another. They discuss mentorship, culture, safety, the ripple effect of leadership decisions, and the importance of creating psychologically safe spaces where people can grow, heal, and contribute in meaningful ways.
This conversation is honest, warm, and deeply human. It highlights what is possible when organizations come together with aligned values, open hearts, and a shared vision for long-term positive impact in communities across Canada.
Want to connect with Val and learn more about ISEAD?  Feel free to reach out to her directly at [email protected]
Don’t forget to visit www.cusw.ca to explore more opportunities and resources. If you have a story to share, a guest to suggest, or a topic you’d like to hear on the podcast, email Dan at [email protected]. 
🔻 Learn More About CUSW
Discover who we are and what we stand for: CUSW - Who We Are
🔻 Stay Informed
Get the latest news and updates: CUSW News
🔻 Get in Touch
Need to contact CUSW? Find out how: CUSW Contact Page
🔻 Get Involved
Explore opportunities to participate and make a difference: CUSW Participation Model
🔻 Never Miss an Episode
Catch up on all our podcast episodes here: Listen Here
🎧 Listen Anytime, Anywhere! – Find our podcast on all major directories, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more.
📺 Watch the Podcast on YouTube! – Subscribe and watch full episodes on our official YouTube channel. Watch Here
🎵 Music Credits: Music Credits: Original music by Glen MacNeil (lyrics, vocals, guitar) with production by Brad MacNeil.
Tune in, stay inspired, and keep shining that CUSW spotlight!

As we wrap up 2025, the CUSW Spotlight Podcast turns the spotlight inward for a meaningful reflection on where we’ve been and where we’re headed.
CUSW Chair John Wabb joins host Dan Plexman for a year-in-review conversation that explores the progress, challenges, and collective wins that shaped 2025. From expanded member participation and committee-driven initiatives to a growing emphasis on psychological safety, inclusion, and respectful workplaces, this episode highlights the work happening across the Union, both seen and unseen.
John also looks ahead to 2026, an important election year for CUSW, and explains how workplace elections, national leadership roles, and committees all connect to the union’s bottom-up structure. The conversation reinforces a core message: "Every member has a voice, and every contribution matters."
Whether you’re curious about how CUSW operates, considering getting more involved, or simply want a clearer picture of the union’s direction, this episode offers insight, clarity, and encouragement to be part of what’s next.
Want to connect with John or learn more?  Feel free to reach out to him directly at [email protected] 
Don’t forget to visit www.cusw.ca to explore more opportunities and resources. 
If you have a story to share, a guest to suggest, or a topic you’d like to hear on the podcast, email us at [email protected]. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and colleagues to help shine the spotlight on the incredible work happening at CUSW! 
 
🔻 Learn More About CUSW
Discover who we are and what we stand for: CUSW - Who We Are
🔻 Stay Informed
Get the latest news and updates: CUSW News
🔻 Get in Touch
Need to contact CUSW? Find out how: CUSW Contact Page
🔻 Get Involved
Explore opportunities to participate and make a difference: CUSW Participation Model
🔻 Never Miss an Episode
Catch up on all our podcast episodes here: Listen Here
🎧 Listen Anytime, Anywhere! – Find our podcast on all major directories, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more.
📺 Watch the Podcast on YouTube! – Subscribe and watch full episodes on our official YouTube channel. Watch Here
🎵 Music Credits: Music Credits: Original music by Glen MacNeil (lyrics, vocals, guitar) with production by Brad MacNeil.
Tune in, stay inspired, and keep shining that CUSW spotlight!

In this inspiring episode of the CUSW Spotlight Podcast, host Dan Plexman discusses with Michelle Holmes, Red Seal Electrician, Training Technician at Bruce Power, founding member of the CUSW National Tradeswomen Committee, and the 2025 WiN Canada Mentor of the Year.
Michelle shares her 19-year journey in the trades, from her early apprenticeship days to becoming a respected leader, mentor, and advocate for cultural change within CUSW and the nuclear industry. Together, Dan and Michelle dive into the realities of building a career in a male-dominated field, the power of representation, and why mentorship is essential for helping women and underrepresented members thrive.
Listeners will hear candid insights about:
Creating pathways for women and girls in STEM and the skilled trades
How mentorship shapes careers, confidence, and connection
The origins of the CUSW National Tradeswomen Committee
The evolution of CUSW’s health, safety, and wellness culture
Michelle’s role in bringing the Be More Than a Bystander program to CUSW
The importance of community, family, and belonging in sustaining long careers in the trades
Michelle’s passion for lifting others up, challenging outdated norms, and creating safe, supportive workplaces shines through every part of this conversation. Her story is a reminder that when one person steps forward, others rise with them — and when we build together, we rise together.
Whether you're a tradesperson, a mentor, a student exploring your future, or simply someone who believes in fairness and opportunity, this episode is a powerful listen.
Tune in and be inspired.
Because the future of the trades is diverse, collaborative, and rising together.
Want to connect with Michelle or learn more?  Feel free to reach out to her directly at [email protected]

Make sure you visit 𝗵𝘁𝘁𝗽𝘀://𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘄.𝗰𝗮/ to explore more opportunities and resources. If you have a story to share, a guest to suggest, or a topic you’d like to hear on the podcast, email us at 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁@𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘄.𝗰𝗮. 

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your network to help shine a spotlight on the incredible work happening at CUSW!  
🔻 Learn More About CUSW
Discover who we are and what we stand for: CUSW - Who We Are
🔻 Stay Informed
Get the latest news and updates: CUSW News
🔻 Get in Touch
Need to contact CUSW? Find out how: CUSW Contact Page
🔻 Get Involved
Explore opportunities to participate and make a difference: CUSW Participation Model
🔻 Never Miss an Episode
Catch up on all our podcast episodes here: Listen Here
🎧 Listen Anytime, Anywhere! – Find our podcast on all major directories, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more.
📺 Watch the Podcast on YouTube! – Subscribe and watch full episodes on our official YouTube channel. Watch Here
🎵 Music Credits: Music Credits: Original music by Glen MacNeil (lyrics, vocals, guitar) with production by Brad MacNeil.
Tune in, stay inspired, and keep shining that CUSW spotlight!

On this episode of the CUSW Spotlight Podcast, we’re going back to the beginning, to the stories, people, and ideas that built the𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀. Joining us is 𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗻, a founding member of CUSW and the union’s National Business Development and Strategy Lead.

Tom’s career spans nearly four decades in the labour movement. He started on the tools as an apprentice at Ontario Hydro, worked maintenance at Chrysler plants in Windsor and Brampton, and served in countless leadership roles, from steward and chief steward to president, vice president, and now national representative. 

His journey has given him a front-row seat to the evolution of CUSW, from a bold idea shared among a few determined tradespeople to the strong, forward-looking community it is today.

In this episode, Tom MacLean and host Dan Plexman discuss the early days of CUSW, including the challenges, risks, and the belief that workers could build something better together. They delve into how organizing has evolved over the years, and why participation and member empowerment remain at the core of everything we do.

Listeners will hear firsthand what it takes to grow a union that adapts to change while staying true to its values. It’s a candid, inspiring look at leadership, vision, and the legacy of collaboration that continues to drive CUSW forward.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗪 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲, or what it means to truly build a union from the ground up, this episode is one you won’t want to miss.

Want to connect with Tom or learn more?  Feel free to reach out to him directly at 𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻@𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘄.𝗰𝗮

Make sure you visit 𝗵𝘁𝘁𝗽𝘀://𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘄.𝗰𝗮/ to explore more opportunities and resources. If you have a story to share, a guest to suggest, or a topic you’d like to hear on the podcast, email us at 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁@𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘄.𝗰𝗮. 

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your network to help shine a spotlight on the incredible work happening at CUSW!  

🔻 Learn More About CUSW
Discover who we are and what we stand for: CUSW - Who We Are
🔻 Stay Informed
Get the latest news and updates: CUSW News
🔻 Get in Touch
Need to contact CUSW? Find out how: CUSW Contact Page
🔻 Get Involved
Explore opportunities to participate and make a difference: CUSW Participation Model
🔻 Never Miss an Episode
Catch up on all our podcast episodes here: Listen Here
🎧 Listen Anytime, Anywhere! – Find our podcast on all major directories, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more.
📺 Watch the Podcast on YouTube! – Subscribe and watch full episodes on our official YouTube channel. Watch Here
🎵 Music Credits: Music Credits: Original music by Glen MacNeil (lyrics, vocals, guitar) with production by Brad MacNeil.
Tune in, stay inspired, and keep shining that CUSW spotlight!

In this episode of the CUSW Spotlight Podcast, host Dan Plexman is having a discussion with Shannon Veitch, an electrician and long-time CUSW member who co-chairs the CUSW National Health, Safety & Wellness Committee.
Together, they explore the story and purpose behind CUSW’s annual Health, Safety & Wellness Conference, how it has grown into a space where members, and families, come together to learn, connect, and strengthen the values that make our union unique.
From supporting mental health and preventing workplace injuries to fostering empathy, inclusion, and life balance, Shannon and Dan reflect on what it means to create a safer, healthier, and more connected workplace, and why every member has something to gain from being part of the conversation.
You can watch here:
2021 HSW Conference (virtual)
2022 HSW Conference - Five minutes of empathy
2023 HSW Conference - Kinder and Better when we are together
2024 HSW Conference - Moving the needle on healthy communication
Want to connect with Shannon or learn more?  Feel free to reach out to her directly at [email protected]
Don’t forget to visit www.cusw.ca to explore more opportunities and resources. If you have a story to share, a guest to suggest, or a topic you’d like to hear on the podcast, email us at [email protected]. 
🔻 Learn More About CUSW
Discover who we are and what we stand for: CUSW - Who We Are
🔻 Stay Informed
Get the latest news and updates: CUSW News
🔻 Get in Touch
Need to contact CUSW? Find out how: CUSW Contact Page
🔻 Get Involved
Explore opportunities to participate and make a difference: CUSW Participation Model
🔻 Never Miss an Episode
Catch up on all our podcast episodes here: Listen Here
🎧 Listen Anytime, Anywhere! – Find our podcast on all major directories, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more.
📺 Watch the Podcast on YouTube! – Subscribe and watch full episodes on our official YouTube channel. Watch Here
🎵 Music Credits: Music Credits: Original music by Glen MacNeil (lyrics, vocals, guitar) with production by Brad MacNeil.
Tune in, stay inspired, and keep shining that CUSW spotlight!