Talent and energy on display at 2015 East Kootenay SkillsBC Competition

On the 6th of March, 2015, energized young people descended on the Cranbrook campus of the College of the Rockies (COTR) for the Regional Skills Canada British Columbia (SkillsBC) Competition hosted by COTR and School District No. 5. Both high school and post-secondary COTR students participated.

What's so important about the skills competition? Brian Conrad, regional transitions co-ordinator at COTR, explained that the SkillsBC Competition is about the following:

1. Learning the trade: competitors build a project from blueprints and then are judged by experts.
2. Adding to the resume: participating demonstrates a commitment to the trade and may include meeting a future employer.
3. Having fun and being enthusiastic about the trade.

Conrad champions students and the trades. He “encourages all businesses to take a look at sponsoring an apprentice because it helps young people.”

Samantha Sheppard is a COTR student in cabinetmaking. She's been influenced by her grandfather and uncle, who both have Red Seal standards in carpentry. She took woodworking in high school and decided to continue her passion.

Her reason for participating in the competition was to gain “hands-on experience.” Her important take-away is learning how to read blueprints and expanding her knowledge.

Sheppard is the only female in her class and urges other young women to “go after what you want—don't worry about if it's a man's field.”

Sheppard's future is nothing but bright as she plans to take her trade and travel. Australia looks like the first destination on her list. In the longer term, Sheppard talks about opening a community shop that would provide tools and support for those who want to work on their own projects but don't have access to such a shop. Her ideas and energy will change the future.

Sheppard took gold in the post-secondary cabinetmaking section and will compete in Abbotsford at the provincial SkillsBC Competition.

Harrison Ford competed in the welding section of the competition. He was influenced by his father, a mechanic. Ford has been around machines, metal and dirty hands most of his life. Why get into welding? He said it was a “good idea to start early with that kind of trade, so I got into welding and I love it.”

Harrison Ford—yea, he gets that a lot—carries metal pieces for the welding competition. — Nowell Berg photo

Why the competition? “I wanted to give it a try just to show I have the umph and ambition to do it,” said Ford.

What would he say to other young people looking at the competition? “Go for it, definitely do it," said Ford. "If you love hands-on stuff, then I'd suggest that you give it a try.”

For the past 13 years, Bud Beeman has volunteered as a judge at the SkillsBC Welding Competition. Each competitor is judged on being able to read a blueprint and then assemble the object. After that, competitors are evaluated on safety, flame cutting, stick welding, gas and arc welding, bar feed welding and professional workmanship. Competitors even take a theory exam.

On the importance of the competition, Beeman said, “It's a great way of getting [students] fired up in high school to start thinking about what different careers they can go into.” He added, “It gets them enthusiastic and gets them to come into the college and get a trade behind them.”

While cabinetmaking and welding are centre stage, one team from the Mt. Baker Secondary School Robotics Club made an appearance showing off its prototype robot designed to meet this year's stiff competition criteria. They have to build a robot that will lift golf balls and drop them into a one-inch PVC pipe. The second task is to stack one-inch PVC pipe on a three-foot-high pyramid of spikes.
Challenges; a good wage and travel; taking up a trade and enrolling as an apprentice will all lead to a lifetime of rewards.

Congratulations to all competitors. All the best in your future.