Nickolas was born and raised in Red Deer and attended Red Deer College before graduating from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Arts in History in 2007. After graduation Nickolas moved to Edmonton where he worked as a Researcher and Speechwriter for Members of the Legislative Assembly, and as a Special Assistant to the Minister of Finance and Enterprise. Nickolas transitioned to the public service serving in several roles in the Departments of Health and Education.In 2018 Nickolas obtained his law degree from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia and was called to the bar in 2019.In his spare time Nickolas enjoys outdoor activities camping, fishing, hunting, and golf. He is also activity involved in politics working on numerous political campaigns.