A Sylvan Lake student placed in the top three at a provincial carpentry skills competition in Edmonton recently.
Chad Magas, 18, a Grade 12 École H. J. Cody High School student, took first place at regionals in Red Deer to earn a spot at the provincial competition.
Then he placed third at provincials held May 15 and 16.
At regionals, he said, they had to build a miniature garden shed. Materials were supplied, but then the students have to measure and cut in a timed competition. “There’s very little room for error,” said Magas. “It’s usually very tight on time, about half the kids don’t finish.”
This was his second time in regional competition.
Then at Edmonton they built a potter’s bench.
The competition, he explained, tests a variety of skills — precision, accuracy and time management. “You have to interpret plans. They give you very limited dimensions.”
Magas said he didn’t find the competition stressful at all. “I quite enjoy it.”
He’s worked with his father, Cory Magas, in carpentry “just about as long as I can remember.” His father’s construction company, Cory Magas Construction, focuses more on renovations.
“It was all good,” he said of the event. “It’s fun just to get out, to be building, competing against other people. Everyone is friendly and nice. It was a great experience.”
“When the guy next to me needed a string line, I gave it to him, he would lend me a saw if I needed it. We were giving advice to each other.”
Magas plans to go to Red Deer College for engineering after he finishes high school this year.