About Us
Next Generation Workplace Safety Education
Established in 1991 and registered as a charitable not-for-profit organization in 1995, SafeGen was founded as the Job Safety Skills Society (JSSS). In early 2020, the JSSS rebranded the organization to better reflect the changing millennium, and its mission to educate and empower youth. SafeGen (formerly Job Safety Skills Society) has partnered with educators, industry and government to build a community focused on the safety and wellbeing of youth entering the workforce.
Our Vision
Zero Workplace Injuries
Our Mission
Through education, we empower youth to take responsibility for their health, safety and well-being and that of their friends, families, colleagues and communities.
Through our JobSafe™ Program, we provide young workers with the educational services that have helped significantly reduce work-related fatalities, injuries and illness that result from workplace hazards. These job safety courses for teens are available, at no cost, to all publicly-funded junior and senior high schools throughout Alberta, and we encourage schools to use it as an effective Career and Technologies Studies (CTS) resource for both teachers and students.
SafeGen has assisted schools throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories to implement the JobSafe Program. The program is currently used by over 200 schools across these three provinces, with more than 115,000 students having completed the courses and 36,000 certified by SafeGen.
SafeGen is located in the Jerry Forbes Centre for Community Spirit. We are extremely grateful to be a part of this unique community.
Our primary goals are:
- To provide youth with free accredited safety training as they prepare to enter the workforce;
- To empower future generations of workers to take responsibility for the health, safety, and well-being of themselves, their friends, colleagues, and communities;
- And to reduce unnecessary workplace injuries and fatalities among youth.
The JobSafe Program is recognized and supported by the following organizations:
- Alberta Agriculture
- Community and Social Services
- WCB Alberta
- Other public and private agencies and businesses
Board of Directors
Chair/President
Bruce Wilkinson – HSE Align
Past Chair
John Hudson – DETAC Corp.
Treasurer
E. James Wilson – Workers’ Compensation Board – AB
Executive Director
Darryl Kutschinski
Directors at Large
Rod Davis – Alberta Safety Council
Debra MacFadyen – Alberta Teachers’ Association
Paula Campkin – Energy Safety Canada
Nigel Dunning – Stantec
Legal Advisor
Ahlstrom, Wright, Oliver & Cooper
Our Team
Darryl has more than 20 years of senior leadership experience in diverse environments with an emphasis on safety management. In his most recent position as executive director at Continuing Care Safety Association, he was responsible for organizational and strategic leadership to improve safety performance and injury prevention within the long-term Care and senior supportive living industries in Alberta. Darryl’s areas of expertise are operation leadership and performance management; customer service and engagement; process redesign and improvement; program design; process redesign and implementation; people leadership; employee satisfaction and engagement; change management; and risk management. Darryl’s experience is enhanced by his education in business and project management. He looks forward to effectively and efficiently leading SafeGen towards achieving our objectives.
Karleigh earned her Certificate with Distinction in Arts and Cultural Management, as well as a Diploma in Public Relations, and has thrived in the communications field for over a decade. She has worked with a diverse array of clients including artists, authors, municipal organizations, non-profit and private sector organizations to help them reach their business and marketing goals. In her past positions, she was responsible for project management and the implementation of marketing and communications strategies, as well as media relations and event management. Karleigh is excited to help SafeGen reach students and teachers throughout Alberta.
Harsimran obtained a diploma in Digital Media and IT from Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). She has extensive knowledge of web-development and web design. Harsimran moved to Canada in 2015 to achieve her career goals and to develop into a strong and an independent Individual. Prior coming to Canada, she earned her high school diploma with majors in Mathematics and Sciences. She has previously worked for Caregivers Alberta, a non-profit organization, using her organizational and leadership skills to help the organization reach its goals. She has also volunteered for various organizations to sharpen her administrative skills. In her down time, Harsimran enjoys cooking, gardening and watching movies. She looks forward to reaching out to teachers and community members for efficient delivery of safety education.