Two Brampton entrepreneurs overcome early hardships to become skilled trade educators and create opportunities for the next generation
Camille and Chadwin Bartley first met as teenagers at a high school in Toronto’s west end. Although they shared Jamaican roots, their journeys to Canada were different. Chadwin immigrated to Canada at age eight, while Camille, who was born in Canada and raised in Jamaica by her grandparents, returned as a teenager.
Today, the Brampton-based couple are entrepreneurs, educators and community leaders who are using their personal experiences to create opportunities for young people through skilled trades, mentorship and education.
Adjusting to Canadian life
Like many newcomer students, both faced significant challenges adapting to a new education system and culture.
“I was thrown off balance right away when I was placed in an ESL class,” Chadwin recalls. “Everything felt different, and school became much harder than I expected.”
Sports became his anchor. Whether on the basketball court or football field, athletics gave him a sense of belonging and helped keep him connected to school during difficult years.
However, life soon became unstable. As a teenager, Chadwin experienced homelessness, spending several years living in a car, staying with friends and couch surfing while trying to complete high school.
Camille’s path presented different challenges. At 17, she entered the workforce to help support her family, putting her dream of pursuing higher education on hold. She found success as a licensed hairstylist and built a career in the beauty industry, developing both technical skills and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Although life took them in different directions, the two eventually reconnected, built a relationship and created a life centred around family, business and service.
Building a life together
As Camille’s hairstyling career continued to grow, Chadwin decided to learn the trade himself, first as a way to better support their growing business and eventually as a career of his own. He apprenticed under Camille’s mentor, became a licensed hairstylist and barber, and together they built successful businesses serving clients across the Greater Toronto Area.
Their clientele has included professional athletes, entertainers and public figures, including Toronto Raptors star RJ Barrett. More importantly, they have used their experiences to create opportunities for young people pursuing careers in skilled trades.
A milestone years in the making
This June, Chadwin and Camille celebrated an achievement that represented far more than earning university degrees.
Supported by Chadwin’s mother and grandmother, and cheered on by their three children, the couple proudly crossed the convocation stage together as graduates of York University’s Bachelor of Education in Technological Education program.
Starting university as parents in their 30s required sacrifice, resilience and unwavering commitment.
“My decision to become an educator comes from wanting to encourage young people to pursue their passions without fear,” says Camille. “Teachers have the opportunity to shape lives, and I want to be part of that.”
Camille plans to teach full time, while Chadwin hopes to combine classroom teaching with his ongoing work mentoring youth, fostering community partnerships and expanding entrepreneurship opportunities through skilled trades.
Reflecting on their journey together, Chadwin says: “When we got married 14 years ago, we made a commitment to build a different future than the one we grew up with. Everything we’ve built together has been rooted in that promise.”
Beyond the barber chair
Recognizing the impact mentors had on their own lives, the Bartleys committed themselves to helping young people facing similar obstacles.
Together, they founded the Bartley Skills Development (BSD) Program, a registered charity that uses barbering, hairstyling, mentorship, entrepreneurship and confidence-building initiatives to help youth overcome barriers and build meaningful careers.
“I was robbed at gunpoint when I was 19,” Chadwin recalls. “That experience forced me to reflect on the direction my life was heading. It became one of the moments that pushed me to make better decisions and fully commit to building a different future.”
Today, BSD delivers programs such as Beyond Barbering, Beyond Hairstyling and Hair for Self-Esteem, partnering with schools, municipalities, community organizations and professional sports organizations to support young people across Ontario.
Hair for Self-Esteem provides complimentary hair services to underserved youth, recognizing that something as simple as a haircut can improve confidence, dignity and engagement at school.
Beyond Barbering and Beyond Hairstyling introduce students to skilled trades while teaching entrepreneurship, financial literacy, professionalism and career readiness.
Elevating skilled trades
For the Bartleys, skilled trades represent far more than employment.
“Barbering and hairstyling gave us stability, purpose and the opportunity to build a life for our family,” says Camille. “We want young people to see that skilled trades deserve the same respect as any other profession.”
As newly qualified educators, both hope to bring real-world industry experience into Ontario classrooms while continuing to expand their community initiatives beyond school walls.
Although they are celebrating a significant milestone, the Bartleys believe their journey is only beginning. Their mission remains simple: to help young people discover the opportunities and tools that transformed their own lives.
“We’ve experienced firsthand how education, skilled trades and mentorship can completely change the direction of a person’s life,” says Chadwin. “Our goal is to continue creating those opportunities.”
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