Employee Development

## Details *We are a welcoming place and space to develop your public & virtual speaking, presentation and leadership skills*. **Meeting Agendas** *include*: • Reading of Our Mission statement • Guest Introductions • Introduce a Word Of The Day • Table Topics impromptu speaking opportunities (if you're comfortable!) • Toastmaster Toast on a chosen Theme for the meeting • Speakers • Speech Evaluations and more... We look forward to meeting you soon! **This event is not hosted by or sponsored by the Toronto Public Library**

🥊 **Boxing Fundamentals (16+) at the Miles Nadal JCC** Ready to build strength, sharpen your skills, and break a sweat? This no-contact beginner program introduces essential boxing fundamentals including stance, footwork, punches, bagwork, partner drills, and conditioning — all in a supportive and inclusive environment. No sparring involved. Perfect for new boxers or anyone looking to develop a strong foundation while improving fitness and confidence. 👊 **Led by Coach Nick Radionov — former Ukrainian National Olympic Boxing Team member, Level 3 Boxing Ontario–certified coach, and multi-time world kickboxing champion.** 📅 **Program Details** 📍 **Location:** Miles Nadal JCC — 750 Spadina Ave. (enter via Spadina doors) 📅 **Winter 2026 Session** 💻 **Registration required in advance** 👉 **[Register online](https://app.amilia.com/store/en/miles-nadal-jcc/api/Activity/Detail?activityId=y7mKB98)** ☎️ Or call **416-924-6211** 🎟️ **Fees** • Full program session registration available • Prorated pricing if joining after the start date • Drop-in options may be available (space permitting) 💥 **What You’ll Learn & Benefit From** 🔹 **Learn the Basics** — Develop proper form, movement, and striking technique 🔹 **Build Strength & Stamina** — High-energy conditioning in every class 🔹 **Train with Confidence** — Beginner-friendly instruction in a welcoming environment 🔹 **Hands-On Skill Development** — Bagwork & partner drills (no-contact/no sparring) 🧤 **What to Bring:** Handwraps, boxing gloves, indoor athletic shoes, and a water bottle. 🔥 Join us and build skill, strength, and confidence — one round at a time!

I get a lot of messages from people who want to connect for different reasons—partnerships, potential investment, help building a leveraged business model, or job opportunities. This meet-up is a casual but **structured** way to meet in person, quickly understand what you’re working on, and determine clear next steps. ### **📍 Location** **Second Cup** 4841 Yonge St · North York, ON ### **🕓 Time** **February 25th, 2026** **5:30 PM – 7:00 PM** *** ## **💵 Attendance Fee (Important)** * **Free for job seekers only** (if your primary purpose is employment). * **$10 for business-related attendance**, including: * business model feedback / guidance * partnership discussions * investment-related conversations * strategic support / “how do I move forward?” planning *If you’re coming for both job + business advice, it’s considered business-related and the $10 applies.* *** ## **✅ RSVP (Required)** Please RSVP so I can plan seating and manage time fairly for everyone. *** ## **What this meet-up is (and isn’t)** **This is an intro + screening session** designed to: * meet you briefly * clarify your direction * identify fit * suggest the next best step **This is not** a full consulting session, a guaranteed job interview, or a promise of investment/partnership. Those decisions happen after follow-up, if there’s a fit. *** ## **Format / Timeboxing** To keep it fair, conversations will be **timeboxed (approximately 5–10 minutes per person)** depending on turnout. *** ## **What to bring (typed + prepared)** ### **If you want help with a business model** Bring a **typed 1-page plan** (rough is fine) including: * what the business does * who the customer is * how it makes money * what you’ve done so far * what you need help with right now ### **If you’re looking for a job** Bring **two printed copies** of your resume. ### **If you want to partner with me** Bring a **typed outline** including: * your concept (clear + simple) * **your responsibilities** (what you will personally do each week) * **your expectation of my responsibilities** * what success looks like (timeline + goals) ### **If you’re seeking investment (or want to discuss it)** Bring a **typed summary** including: * what traction you have (sales/users/LOIs/partnerships—anything real) * how much capital you’re seeking * exactly how the funds would be used * why you’re the person/team to execute *** If this sounds like you, join me at **Second Cup on Feb 25th from 5:30 - 7:30 PM**. If you are looking for a job, please use the meetup messaging feature to message me and I will add you to the event.

SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE! If you’re interested in improving your public speaking and leadership skills at an entertaining, educational and inspirational meeting, please visit us … it’s free! We meet weekly on Wednesday evenings. The location or link will be sent to those who confirm attendance. Brainwave Speakers Toastmasters club is a place where strangers become friends, where new ideas and experiences are shared. With a wide variety of ages, backgrounds and experiences, our members are an interesting and diverse group. Regardless of whether you are a professional, student, stay at home parent, job seeker or a retiree, you will find something of value at Brainwave Speakers Toastmasters club. Please feel welcome to visit us! Contact our Vice President of Membership at karen.goodyear333@gmail.com for details.

Play some beach and meet cool people

PLEASE CONTACT Jason at 905-308-4100 FOR DETAILS.

**Visitors are always welcome!** Drop by and experience a Toastmasters club first hand. Brainwave Speakers is an open club Toastmasters Club. Everyone is welcome. If you are committed to growing as a speaker and leader, and want to do it in a supportive social atmosphere, we'd love to meet you! **Meetings are every Wednesday 6:45 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.** Please arrive by 6:30 p.m. for a social/networking session. Directions and information can be found at https://1001005.toastmastersclubs.org/ Contact us at vpm-1001005@toastmastersclubs.org

Get ready to mingle, share stories, and make travel plans with fellow travel enthusiasts at our Travel & Tourism Networking event! EVENT SUMMARY Join us for Travel & Tourism Networking Night: Connect, Collaborate & Travel, an in-person event focused on bringing together travel lovers, industry professionals, content creators, nomads, expats, vagabonds, and anyone interested in making connections, working, creating, or growing in the travel industry. Whether you’re already in the industry or simply passionate about travel, come enjoy a relaxed, fun atmosphere where connecting feels easy, natural, and intentional. Expect good vibes, great conversations, and connections that go beyond exchanging business cards. ✨ No awkward networking ✨ No forced pitches ✨ Just real people and genuine conversations EVENT DETAILS Capacity: Limited to ensure a high-quality experience Vibe: Fun, respectful, relaxed, and welcoming Dress Code: Smart casual (look good, feel comfortable) ⚠️ Limited spots available. Once tickets sell out, registration closes. WHO SHOULD ATTEND ✔ Travel lovers & explorers ✔ Travel industry professionals (tourism, hospitality, airlines, agencies) ✔ Content creators & influencers in the travel space ✔ Freelancers, students, or career switchers interested in travel ✔ Anyone who values meaningful, in-person connection If you’re ready to meet new people and form meaningful connection, then this event is for you. HOW IT WORKS 1. Arrival & Welcome Check in, grab a drink/food, and get settled. 2. Open Networking Spend time chatting with people you’re drawn to, sharing experiences, ideas, and opportunities organically. WHY TRAVEL & TOURISM NETWORKING NIGHT: CONNECT, COLLABORATE & TRAVEL ✔ Thoughtfully hosted and well-organized ✔ Comfortable, welcoming environment ✔ Genuine conversations over forced networking ✔ Opportunity to meet like-minded people in travel ✔ Designed for connection, collaboration, and community This is networking done better. IMPORTANT NOTES • This is a curated experience; respectful behavior is required • Please arrive on time to fully participate • No refunds are available FINAL CALL ✨ Spots are intentionally limited to keep the experience intimate and high-quality ✨ If you’ve been waiting to meet people in the travel world in real life, this is your moment Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube @thenetworkingevents. Stay tuned for upcoming events, giveaways, and future experiences. 👉 Grab your ticket and join us for a night of connecting, collaborating, and meeting your next travel buddies https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/travel-tourism-networking-connect-collaborate-travel-tickets-1980779276136/?aff=erellivmlt&keep_tld=1#organizer-card

Most Java developers have tried AI-assisted coding through chat interfaces or inline autocomplete. Useful — but limited. In this talk, we’ll explore the next step: agentic Java development using Claude Code. Instead of treating AI as a smarter text box, we’ll look at what changes when the model can reason across files, plan multi-step changes, interact with tools, and operate closer to how real developers work. This will be a practical, experience-driven session focused on: • How agentic coding differs from ChatGPT-style prompting and traditional Copilot usage • Where Claude Code fits (and where it doesn’t) in real Java projects • How tools, context, and workflows matter more than “prompt tricks” • How to avoid unstructured vibe coding while still moving faster No prior experience with agentic tools is required. The goal isn’t to sell a silver bullet — it’s to help Java developers understand what’s genuinely new, what’s hype, and how these tools can be used responsibly in real-world codebases. **About the venue** Free Times Cafe has bistro-style seating and a full food and drink menu. Please consider helping to support the venue by planning to have supper during the talk. **Speaker Bio** Victor Szoltysek is a seasoned consultant and technologist, currently at RAVL, where he helps clients eliminate the inefficiencies of undifferentiated heavy lifting and focus on building solutions that drive real business value for their customers. With a career spanning notable organizations like Accenture, Pivotal, and ThoughtWorks, as well as numerous startups, Victor brings a wealth of experience in cloud transformations, DevOps enablement, and Agile software development. A dedicated Java enthusiast with a sharp eye for cutting-edge technologies, Victor’s work frequently intersects with AWS, where he strives to streamline workflows and help teams leverage the cloud without unnecessary complexity. Recently, he’s also ventured into the dynamic world of artificial intelligence, exploring ways to make programming more engaging, efficient, and rewarding. Victor is known for his humorous and sometimes controversial presentation style, ensuring lively discussions and thought-provoking takeaways. His disdain for overly complex tech solutions drives his mission to simplify the way we build and deploy software. Whether he’s sharing insights about Java, AWS, or AI, Victor’s talks are as energizing and satisfying as your favorite cup of coffee. Don’t miss his unique blend of wit, wisdom, and deep technical expertise at our meetup!

Join us this week as a guest to overcome your fear of public speaking and speak with confidence! We hold weekly meetings on Thursday nights to facilitate impromptu speaking, debates, discussions, and prepared speeches to practice our skills and give each other constructive feedback. We are a friendly group of all ages and backgrounds in the GTA, where we help our members and guests in their personal and professional development. We typically meet at the Etobicoke Civic Centre with lots of free visitor parking. You can join us as a guest anytime you want, for as long as you would like, to see what Toastmasters is all about! Come and join us this Thursday to become the best version of you. The theme for this week's meeting is TBD! Join us to practice your improv. speaking skills, debating skills, and to improve your public speaking abilities. If you're interested in attending this meeting, please contact us through our "Contact Us" form on http://goodyeartoastmasters.com/ See you there! ABOUT GOODYEAR TOASTMASTERS \*NOTE\* We are now back in-person at the Etobicoke Civic Centre! Visitor Parking is free. Simply let the Security Person know you're here for a Toastmasters meeting. • Our meetings start at 6:45 PM and lasts for about 2-hours. We suggest you arrive earlier to settle in and network before we begin. • It's free to attend as a guest and you can join us as many times as you would like. For the full access to the Toastmasters Pathways Programme, however, you will need to join as a member and pay a membership fee. • Don't worry about the low attendance numbers on Meetup. Members do not RSVP here. We use the club website instead. Meetup is primarily a place for us to reach out to newcomers such as yourself!

Join us for an inspiring evening at our EmpowerHer dinner, a networking business event dedicated to bringing together ambitious women who are eager to make meaningful connections and share their professional journeys. 🌟 Where: Downtownn Toronto (venue to be confirmed) 🕒 When: last Thursday of the monthth, 6pm -8pm 👗 Dress Code: Business Casual - Show off your style! Cost: 5$ to ensure attendance and prevent no shows Event Highlights: Meet & Greet: Start the event with a warm welcome and casual introductions. Dinner: Enjoy a curated menu of delicious cuisine as you engage in thoughtful discussions about business, life, and aspirations. Interactive Sessions: Participate in round-table discussions and ice-breaker activities designed to foster connections and collaboration. Takeaways: Leave inspired and with new contacts that could lead to your next big opportunity. Why You Should Attend: Expand Your Network: Connect with professionals across various industries. Share Your Story: Every journey is unique, and yours is worth sharing. Find Your Tribe: Build supportive relationships that last beyond the event. RSVP Now to secure your spot at this empowering gathering. We can’t wait to meet you and witness the amazing connections that will unfold!

At Eglinton-Yonge Toastmasters, we're more than just a club - we're a community. Please arrive by 6:00 p.m. to socialize. Guests are welcome. There is no fee to visit. We meet at: Northern District Library 40 Orchard View Blvd. Second Floor, RM# 200. Directions to the room can be viewed at the following link: [https://bit.ly/eytm-welcome](https://bit.ly/eytm-welcome) Members of Eglinton-Yonge Toastmasters learn and practice public speaking and leadership skills with a friendly, helpful, and encouraging group of people. As a year-round club, attendance varies depending on the season. A typical meeting involves 25-30 active members and 2-5 guests. Guests are able to: • Meet a great group of people • Participate in Table Topics • Share feedback at the end Members receive: • Learning materials • Monthly Toastmasters magazine • Access to Pathways • Online resources through Toastmasters International • An Easy-speak.org account to track speech progress We look forward to seeing you!

Don't be disappointed if you don't see a bunch of people attending. I advertise this on multiple platforms and the class usually sells out. Improv comedy uses several techniques to create laughter. These include, creating an atmosphere free of judgement, saying 'yes', active listening, being positive, putting your focus on others, and the importance of play and laughter. Not coincidentally, these are the same things that happen to us naturally when we are bonding with another person. In this class, we'll explore these techniques not with the goal of being funny, but with the goal of being people that other people want to be around. The organizer, Ralph MacLeod, is a co-founder of two independent improv clubs in Toronto - Bad Dog Theatre and Social Capital Theatre. He's been teaching improv for over 30 years. He also teaches these same techniques to several organizations including UofT, Google, Kraft, Shopify and many, many more. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have! FAQs and Good To Know.... After every event, a group from this class sit down and have a drink together so be prepared to stay if you want! Of course, you don't HAVE to. You also don't have to be single or bring a friend. The vibe of this class is much more 'making new friends' than a 'singles' mixer'. We usually run to 8:15 so pay for extra parking!

(Inside Captains Snooker Club) 🎟 $12 Admission — includes shared pool table access 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Open to all! Limited to 35 attendees – secure your spot now! 🗓️ Every Thursday, 7:00 PM 📍 966 Dundas St E, Mississauga, ON L4Y 0B2 🤝 Curated networking activities for easy connection Forge meaningful bonds and expand your network at our vibrant community gathering! This isn't just another event; it's an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals in a relaxed and inspiring atmosphere. Imagine an evening filled with engaging conversations, shared laughter, and the beginning of powerful new collaborations. You'll discover fresh perspectives, unlock potential opportunities, and strengthen your professional and personal circle within the Synergy Hub community. Don't miss out on crafting unforgettable moments and building your invaluable support system. For added fun and easy ice-breaking, attendees will have access to shared pool tables, creating a casual and interactive way to connect throughout the evening. • Expand your professional and personal network • Discover potential collaborations and opportunities • Gain fresh insights and diverse perspectives • Strengthen your sense of community and belonging Come for the connections. Stay for the community. Leave with lasting relationships.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** *Spec-Driven Development with GitHub Spec-Kit: From Intent to Implementation* Spec-driven development flips the traditional workflow on its head: instead of code being the source of truth, the specification becomes the backbone of design, collaboration, and delivery. In this session, we’ll explore how GitHub Spec-Kit enables teams to treat specifications as first-class artifacts—living documents that drive architecture, implementation, and verification. You’ll learn how Spec-Kit helps teams clearly express intent using structured, version-controlled specs that live alongside code. We’ll walk through a practical workflow that starts with defining system behavior and constraints, then progressively refines those specs into testable, automatable outcomes. Along the way, we’ll show how specs can reduce ambiguity, improve cross-functional collaboration, and make design decisions explicit before a single line of production code is written. This talk will cover: --What spec-driven development is (and what it isn’t) --How GitHub Spec-Kit fits into modern developer workflows --Using specs to align product, engineering, and AI-assisted development --Real-world examples of turning specs into implementations with confidence Whether you’re building greenfield systems, integrating AI into your stack, or trying to reduce costly rework, spec-driven development offers a scalable way to move faster without sacrificing clarity. Attendees will leave with concrete patterns and a clear mental model for adopting GitHub Spec-Kit in their own projects. **YouTube Link** TBA

Join other experienced and aspiring agile coaches and professionals to: * develop and practice your coaching skills in a peer-to-peer environment * share current successes and challenges in your work environment and get support from each other * learn from each other, build better relationships and experiment with new ideas

Join us and work remotely together with like-minded UX folks. This is a last minute opportunity to get out at one of our favorites, [Junto](https://thejuntohotel.com/)! Plenty of seating is available in addition to a connected coffee shop and restaurant. I will be there 10-12 for sure, maybe longer. Feel free to come and go anytime during the day, and don't forget your charger and headphones!

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates for this series are simply placeholders at the moment. We are working on our 2026 schedule, and adjustments are forthcoming. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee. 3. Each class from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective is a separate entity. **Introduction:** Our Page Building with Bricks web development class provides detailed instruction for using Bricks Builder, a visual site builder for WordPress, to create and manage websites. Widely considered by many of the world's leading web developers to be the most complete page builder on the market today, Bricks Builder offers a wide range of features and comprehensive tools. Our Bricks Builder web development class provides detailed instructions on utilizing the toolset. The series of courses covers the core features of Bricks Builder, enabling users to design and develop responsive, visually appealing websites. Moreover, the courses are oriented to reinforce a focus on professional, scalable web development. Throughout the series, we focus our page-building instruction on the semantic and structural integrity of the pages in a responsive world. By the end of the 10-class series, participants will have a fundamental understanding of proper web page and website development. **The breakdown of the 10-class series is as follows:** * Class 01 - Survey of Page Builders / What Bricksbuilder Does For You * Class 02 - Boxes, Boxes, Boxes / Sections / Containers * Class 03 - Static Units / Relative Units / Responsive Development And Math Functions * Class 04 - CSS Variables And DRY Development / Classes And Global Styling * Class 05 - CSS Grid And CSS Flexbox * Class 06 - Responsive Development / Breakpoints And Media Queries * Class 07 - Effective Use Of Color / Effective Use Of Images * Class 08 - Beginning To Think Dynamically / Using Templates And Components * Class 09 - Dynamic Styling / Data Attributes And Attribute Selectors * Class 10 - Pseudo Elements / Programmatically Styling With Pseudo Classes Throughout the class sessions listed above, we cover the following key areas of web development with Bricks Builder: * **Introduction to Bricks Builder Interface:** * Familiarization with the builder's layout, including the toolbar, panel, and canvas, and understanding how to navigate and interact with its various components. * **Visual Site Building:** * Techniques for creating layouts using Bricks' drag-and-drop interface, incorporating sections, rows, columns, and elements to build page structures. * **Styling and Design:** * Utilizing Bricks' styling options to customize elements, apply global CSS classes for consistent design, and leverage features like Flexbox and CSS Grid for responsive layouts. * **Dynamic Content and Custom Fields:** * Integrating dynamic content from custom post types and custom field plugins (like ACF, Meta Box) to build data-driven websites. * **Template Building:** * Creating and managing reusable templates for headers, footers, post type layouts, and other site-wide elements. * **Performance Optimization:** * Understanding how Bricks Builder contributes to fast-loading websites and implementing performance best practices. * **Advanced Features:** * Depending on the class level, it might delve into advanced topics such as conditional logic, interactions, and custom code integration to enable more complex functionality. The series aims to equip participants with the skills to efficiently build, customize, and maintain WordPress websites using Bricks Builder, catering to both beginners and experienced web developers.

**The idea for this group is to build a community where men can gather together and build connections & learn and grow from each other.** How we start each meeting is by each of us checking in with our "roses and thorns" aka what are the good things and the bad things going on in your life recently? Then we will go into a topic discussion. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS** \*\*THERE WILL BE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR NO-SHOWS. IF YOU RSVP TO A MEETING AND FAIL TO SHOW UP WITHOUT NOTICE, YOU'LL BE REMOVED FROM THE GROUP. THIS IS TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE GROUP\*\* 1. Confidentiality - EVERYTHING that is shared NEVER leaves this space so that this space remains safe and sacred. There is a zero tolerance policy for this. If a man is in violation of this, they will be permanently removed from the group. 2. Non-Judgement - we respect and honor every man’s truth so that we may receive the same from others. While we may not agree on everything, we commit to respecting every man’s perspectives and engaging in honorable discussion with one another. 3. Be committed - honor your commitment to this group and to yourself. If you attend a meeting, please commit yourself fully to the meeting. Also be committed to your own journey. When we fail, we own it & clean it up. 4. Speak from the heart - this is NOT a space to “look good”, have the “right” answers, and have it all together. Relax and know you are not alone. Be exactly who you are within the safety of this space. 5. Be supportive - This means always willing to provide encouragement to your fellow men, encourage action and momentum in each other’s lives.. Be willing to challenge each other. Be willing to hold each other accountable. 6. Participation - what you receive from this community will be a reflection of what you put into it. Period. We ask that you share your perspectives, reflect on others, and give/receive support when and where it’s needed.

* Who Can Attend \* The Central Ohio .Net Developers Group meetings are free and open to the public! All developers; professional, student, and hobbyist are welcome and encouraged to attend. * When we meet \* The Central Ohio .Net Developers Group meets on the 4th Thursday of every month. * Where we meet \* Please check our Meetup group link below for the latest location details! * Join our Meetup Group \* https://www.meetup.com/Central-Ohio-NET-Developers-Group-CONDG/

How to be a Better Communicator Communication is everything in life Sunday, 23 February at 2pm. You are only as successful as your ability to communicate. \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215 For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024