Skills Canada welding winners

(Left to right) Judges: Ken McKay, COTR; Troy Ross, Fab-Rite Services Ltd.; Kim Buchan, Acting Dean of Instruction; Tim Ross, COTR. Participants: Tyler Sillers, Sparwood Secondary; Justin Everitt, PCSS Creston; Lane Gill (third), PCSS Creston; Conner Zhukrovsky (first), Mount Baker Cranbrook; Kole Chubb (second), PCSS Creston; Brayden Jones, PCSS Creston; Vincent Dudelis, PCSS Creston; and Todd Hawton, shop instructor PCSS Creston.

For the past 17 years, the College of the Rockies has been involved in the Skills Canada Kootenay Regional Secondary School welding competition. Students from the East and West Kootenay took part in the competition in March in the college’s welding shop.

The students first wrote a theory exam consisting of safety questions, then built a structure from blueprints—including layout, cutting, fabrication and welding. They were judged by Troy Ross from Fab-Rite Services Ltd., Ken McKay, Tim Ross and Kim Buchan from College of the Rockies. Generous prizes were donated by many local businesses.