North Okanagan students are embracing the trades as potential career opportunities.
Jacob Wall, with A.L. Fortune Secondary, won silver in auto body repair at the Skills Canada national competition while Clarence Fulton Secondary’s Hudson Schier won silver for electronics.
“We are very proud of all of the B.C. students who participated at the 20th annual Skills Canada competition,” said Amber Papou, Skills Canada B.C. executive director.
“These students represent the high-quality results that are being produced at B.C.’s training institutions, and allow us to showcase them to a national audience.”
The Skills Canada National competition is the only Olympic-style, multi-trade and technology event of its kind for students and apprentices in the country.
The event took place at the International Centre in Toronto where 60 different assigned projects were showcased in major skilled trade and technology categories.
The 500 competitors from all provinces and territories were evaluated by independent judges from the respective industry sectors. Their decisions were based on industry standards and established work practices, using specific criteria such as quality of work, safety, cleanliness, skill level and creativity.
Each year, Skills Canada B.C. works with more than 12,000 B.C. students.
By 2022, B.C. is expecting one million job openings in B.C created by retirements and our growing economy.
More than 78 per cent of jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, and 43 per cent will needs skilled trades and technical workers.
