Four students from HJ Cody School participated in the regional Skills Canada competition showing off their knowledge and abilities in the trades of carpentry and welding.
For Davin Garrow, Travis Lorenz, Colton Brand and Aaron Melnychuk the Skills Canada competition was a fun and challenging day.
“The Skills Canada competition was definitely a step up from anything in high school.The experience helps you realize what trade you want to go into or not. It was interesting seeing how our work stood apart from kids from other schools. There was so much different variety and skill level there,” Brand said.
Four students, including Garrow and Lorenz, competed in carpentry and made picnic tables, while the 12 students who participated in welding included Brand and Melnychuk who built boxes with stairs attached to them. In order to make the items for the competition the students worked for hours with the students building picnic tables spending five and a half hours and the welding students spending four.
“It was super nice seeing the finished product,” Melnychuk said.
One of the best parts of the trades is seeing the results, Garrow said.
“My favourite part of the trade is seeing the results, building the picnic tables was pretty cool and building other things in the shop.”
During the competition Lorenz placed second and Garrow placed third in carpentry.
“The medal ceremony was pretty cool we got to walk down onto the stage receive our medal and got a photo together. It was really fun and it felt like we accomplished something,” Lorenz said.
For the students who competed in the Skills Canada competition memories from the event will prepare them for the future and last forever, CTS teacher Randall Prediger said.
“Competing in Skills awards the student for their excellence, attention to detail and their passion to hone their craft. I’m proud of my students for accepting the challenge to compete with other students in Central Alberta. I’m especially proud that all of them developed their problem solving skills and took this opportunity to compete with other future tradespeople.”
Since Lorenz placed second he will be going on to compete in the provincials Skills Canada competition in May.
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