GVBOT celebrates 25 years of Leaders of Tomorrow program, provides bursaries to students

Celebrating its 25th year of operations, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) program said goodbye to its 2024-25 mentors and mentees and welcomed its 2025-26 cohort on Sept. 23 — the largest cohort in the program’s history.

LOT is a one-year program designed to empower students in their final year of post-secondary studies to succeed in their career by gaining the skills, experiences, and connections needed to build a purposeful and impactful future. 

This year also marks the first time the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Foundation was able to provide bursaries for students based off a criterion of academic excellence and financial need. 
 
“Now more than ever we need to support the development of our future leaders. Mentorship programs like LOT enhance both the Mentees as well as the Mentors. The VBOT Foundation is proud to support the future of Leadership,” said Kari Yuers, President and CEO of Kryton International Inc and Chair of the Vancouver Board of Trade Foundation. 

Times ahead are looking tough for Canada’s youth with the national unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 24 reaching 16.6 per cent, and over the summer, Canadian graduates reportedly faced the highest unemployment rate in Canada since the mid-1990s. 

Moreover, here at home, B.C. recorded two successive months of job losses in July and August amounting to over 30,000 lost jobs.

Graduates are stepping into a competitive job search where, in some cases, an undergraduate degree, diploma, or certificate isn’t enough to make the cut.  

“In today's marketplace, employers are looking for graduates that can literally land with their feet running," said Kenton Low, BCIT School of Business and Media Dean. BCIT has been a LOT partner since the program’s inception.

“We are focused on applied education that will help students gain the knowledge and skills plus the connections and relationships they need to either start or advance a fulfilling career. I see us continuing our partnership at least another 25 years because of our perfect alignment in developing those leaders of tomorrow.”

Soon-to-be graduates can level up their educational experience with GVBOT's LOT mentorship program. Registered students receive one-to-one mentorship with an experienced local business professional, tools to enhance their professional brand and presence, tailored programming, GBVOT event access, and a Board of Trade membership.

From a hiring perspective, Angela Cengarle, LOT mentor and owner of Ladder Up Marketing Inc, said students who get involved in the program stand out to employers.

“It shows that someone's willing to learn and willing to put themself out there,” she said. You hire on culture, and students who participate in the program show that they are receptive to learning and that they've catapulted themselves by learning from other people.”

Meetika Singh was a student mentee in the 2024-25 cohort and received the Excellence in Leadership Award, which celebrates a student who has been a remarkable leader and advocate for the program.

“My biggest takeaway was that you need to put yourself out there and you need to ask as many questions as you can. Take an opportunity as a lesson,” she said. “Don't be nervous in these professional settings. Coming in as a junior can be daunting, but a lot of people are very willing to help and are very willing to listen. And the best way to build a support system is to ask.”  
 
Three other LOT participants were also presented with awards at the event. Evgenia Popova received the Mentee of the Year Award, which recognizes a student who demonstrates extraordinary brilliance in leadership, volunteerism, networking, and mentorship.

Lester de Guzman received the Mentor of the Year Award which recognizes a mentor who has gone above and beyond in supporting their mentee and the program. Andrea Basco received the Rookie Mentor of the Year award, which recognizes a mentor who has truly excelled in their first year mentoring an LOT student. 

LOT runs annually from September to August. Applications for the 2026-27 cohort will close at the end of April. 

In addition to LOT, GVBOT runs various other training and professional development programs, like the Engaged Leadership Program for business managers and entrepreneurs and the Scale-up Centre for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.

To learn more about LOT and GVBOT’s programs, visit www.boardoftrade.com/training.