Enderby’s Kurtis Gordey had never removed an A-pillar until he competed in the 19th Skills Canada National Competition at B.C. Place.
Nor was he supposed to.
Gordey and his fellow competitors went into the event thinking they were going to be repairing a damaged quarter-panel from a car. However, a parts order mix-up resulted in them working on A-pillars (the part of a car the front door hinge bolts to).
The kicker was they only had six hours to complete the assignment. That didn’t stop Gordey, who is entering Grade 12 at A.L. Fortune Secondary, from trying.
“I’ve never taken an A-pillar off in my life,” said Gordey.
“That was a challenge to overcome when I got there. A little stressful. There were tons of people.
“We had to cut off the upper frame rail and we had to drill the spot weld so we could remove that and then put on a new one.”
Gordey finished fourth in the secondary division, and considering the circumstances, he had a blast just being in the buzzing B.C. Place environment.
The two-day competition drew 500 competitors, who showcased their skills in a total of 40 trades.
An estimated 15,000 spectators took in the action, which included everything from robotics to welding and cooking to aircraft maintenance.
“Even being able to go was an experience in itself,” said the laid-back teen.
The autobody industry is a natural fit for Gordey, whose father, Brian, runs Armstrong Collision.
While he has been immersed in the business since he was a kid, Gordey is just getting into the hand-on side of autobody work.
His biggest project to date has been helping his friend restore an ‘86 GMC 1500 truck at school.
“I’ve grown up in the business my whole life and love doing it,” said Gordey, who learned about the competition through Ace It, a high school trades program.
“There’s just something about it. I feel good doing it.
“I heard about the competition and thought it sounded like a good chance to show my talent.”
Gordey is already registered to take his level two in autobody work at Okanagan College for his first semester of Grade 12. He plans to complete level three after graduation, and after that, he can get his red seal and journeyman’s ticket.
Gordey qualified for nationals by winning the provincial competition during the Trade-Ex Centre in Abbotsford in the spring.
There, he had to complete frame analysis, fender repair, welding and plastic repair, all in a certain time frame.
The win earned Gordey more recognition than expected. A Vernon-based autobody shop phoned A.L. Fortune shortly after to offer him a job. But Gordey said he is happy to stick with the family business for now.
One of the highlights at nationals for Gordey was listening to guest speaker Mike Holmes, host of the popular television show Holmes on Homes.
“Mike Holmes pointed out we’ve got enough scientists, we’ve got enough smart guys,” said Gordey.
“We just need some guys who can swing some hammers.”
There are plenty of statistics to back that up.
According to a 2009 Statistics Canada survey, nearly one-quarter of Canadian employers said they had not managed to find the right talent to fill jobs.
Of the 10 jobs most difficult to fill, the study reports that skilled trades came first, ahead of engineers, teachers and nurses.
Other Stats Can research shows industries that depend on skilled trade workers are key drivers of the Canadian economy, contributing more than 50 per cent of Canada’s GDP ($550 billion).
The national competition is the major program that Skills Canada undertakes annually to raise awareness of career opportunities in the trades and technologies.
“The next decade will require one million workers to fill positions in Canada,” said Shaun Thorson, chief executive officer of Skills Canada.
“By showcasing a competition and interactive activities to youth, we present great career prospects to the next generation.”
The competition is sponsored by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the plumbing and pipefitting industry and Cenovus Energy.
