Kristopher Schroder CD BIO

Kris is a Subject Matter Expert (SME) as an Armoured Engineer with a heavy equipment background, he was in command of the first tank to travel through Kandahar City since the Russian occupation and focused on the construction of combat roads and Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) routes; which enhanced freedom of movement for NATO forces. Kris was injured on this rotation as he was struck by an IED blast. After this tour he was posted to the Western Area Training Center, Advanced Training Company, where he taught potential leaders in the CF leadership and instructional techniques so they could be promoted into middle management positions upon completion of the training. After completing his tour at the Battle School, he was posted back to 1 Combat Engineer Regiment as the Troop Warrant Officer (Superintendent) for the Heavy Equipment Troop. In this position he managed 45 pieces of equipment, worth approximately $10 Million including everything from loaders to cranes and 40 personnel. Kristopher was honorably released from the CF in 2014, reflecting on his military career he had effectively operated with indigenous peoples in different countries and environments, sometimes hostile, using the equipment, tools, and people to effectively complete tasks.

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After the completion of his military career Kristopher was employed by the International Union of Operating Engineers, Training Trust Fund, as a heavy equipment instructor. He spent 5 years in this position teaching dozer, excavator, loader, haul truck, skid steer, telehandler, grader, and pipeline machinery. During his time with the union, he had the opportunity to train and work with members from the Paul Band First Nation, Piikani Nation, and Fort McKay First Nation among training members of the Union. His notable achievement while employed by the union was as a pipeline SME where he was the technical expert in the revitalization of their pipeline program, which was adopted across Canada. He received his Project Management, Project Leadership, Road Builders certification, and Master Instructor certifications from NAIT after work hours while employed by the Union. With the skills learnt in this job he was able to effectively develop training plans, lesson plans and power points, as well as grasped the basic understanding of how to develop adult education that is high quality and effective in a controlled school setting.

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Although working at the Union training center was going well, he was a top instructor, was building new programs, and was well liked by staff and students he felt like he was unchallenged. Going from a high tempo job in the military and moving to a 9-5 job served him well but it was time to move on as he wanted to explore his potential with the new skills and knowledge he had obtained.

 

In Kristopher's last position, prior to starting his own company, he was tasked with building the course outlines, lessons, and power points for a new heavy equipment operator program to be taught throughout Canada’s North. In the summer of 2021, he led the first two training intakes with his team, one in Arviat and 1 in Tuktoyaktuk. 

These training intakes were a big succuss, Hamlet staff, students, government officials, and the communities were very happy with what was accomplished, he had delivered effective heavy equipment training where others had failed. His HEO team had excellent results; there was a 100% success rates as all students passed the training. Student attendance was exceptionally good throughout the training, students had the confidence to go after good paying jobs and keep them. 8 people out of 20 applied and had jobs shortly after the training. By doing community development projects in Tuktoyaktuk the community was able to save approx. $500 k by developing their solid land fill site as well as re-building roads that were so far gone that the community figured they would never get repaired.

 

In the summer of 2023, Kristopher oversaw 3 different HEO intakes, 2 in the Northwest Territories and one in Nunavut, as well as led the Commercial Driver Training School for the company, organizing and ensuring training quality in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Alberta. During this same time period Kristopher and his team ran HEO and Commercial Driving intakes in YK, NT, NU, and AB. In the short three years he has been employed by his last employer he brought in approximately $4 million dollars in sales. By leading his team, they developed a three-year HEO program, a Rock Crusher program, made effective changes to the Class 1 and 3 driving programs specifically tailored and suitable for the North, and developed a HEO Train the Trainer program.

 

This is where he gained a love for the North, the people, the culture, the vast space and peacefulness. 

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