The future of every industry depends on the talent we inspire before career paths are chosen. Drawing on her experience as a licensed engineer, fabricator, and Emmy-nominated producer & science host, Tamara Robertson makes a compelling case for early STEM and trades engagement as a strategic solution to workforce shortages. She reveals how leading companies can partner with nonprofits, schools, and youth programs to spark curiosity, develop hands-on skills, and connect technical expertise to real-world opportunities. Blending stories from her maker community leadership, television builds, and youth outreach initiatives, Tamara offers scalable, actionable methods for engaging young talent. Audiences leave with practical strategies to cultivate creativity, strengthen communities, and build a robust talent pipeline, ensuring innovation, adaptability, and long-term competitiveness.

Workforce development isn’t just about recruiting talent - it’s about keeping it. Tamara Robertson examines the systemic loss of women from STEM and trade career pipelines, from early education to leadership roles. Drawing on her work with the Jessi Combs Foundation and the Society of Women Engineers, she presents actionable solutions to improve retention, including returnships, equitable leave policies, and inclusive workplace culture. With compelling data and personal insight from her career in engineering and fabrication, Tamara shows how companies can attract, retain, and advance more women - unlocking the competitive advantage of a truly diverse technical workforce.

Tamara Robertson’s path from history major to licensed chemical and biomolecular engineer - and global director by age 28 - offers more than inspiration. It delivers a framework for how organizations can cultivate unconventional talent into top leadership roles. Through her personal story of tinkering, trades training, and accelerated corporate advancement, Tamara outlines how curiosity, skill diversity, and experiential learning fuel career growth and organizational success. This talk equips leaders to identify and develop high-potential talent, even from unexpected places, while encouraging individuals to embrace nonlinear paths to achievement.

In engineering - and in business - failure is inevitable. What matters is how you respond. Tamara Robertson shares her proven approach to “failing forward,” showing how setbacks can be transformed into innovation accelerators. Through personal stories of navigating career pivots, product design challenges, and high-pressure television builds, she outlines the mindset and process needed to turn mistakes into breakthroughs. Leaders and teams will leave with practical tools for applying iterative design, critical thinking, and resilience to their work - creating cultures that innovate faster and smarter.

Your trade & STEM skills can do more than build products - they can build audiences. In this high-energy keynote, Tamara Robertson shows how professionals in STEM and the trades can use media platforms—YouTube, social media, streaming TV - to showcase their craft, share their process, and inspire the next generation. Drawing from her own path from engineering and welding to Emmy-nominated producing & hosting, she equips audiences with practical strategies for translating hands-on expertise into engaging, career-expanding content.

Confidence is a skill - and in technical industries, it’s essential. Tamara Robertson uses the engaging metaphor of a superhero’s cape to explore how professionals can identify, own, and amplify their unique strengths. Drawing from her use of comic book storytelling to teach STEM concepts, Tamara provides strategies for building self-assurance in high-stakes environments, from shop floors to boardrooms. This inspiring session empowers individuals to embrace their expertise, lead with impact, and influence the next generation through visibility and example.