Students from across Red Deer took place in the Central Regional Skills Canada Competition on Thursday.
Some of those students, from École Secondaire Notre Dame High School spent the afternoon cutting wires, measuring conduit and mounting panels at Red Deer College for their electrical installation project. They were a handful of high school students taking part in the competition across the city.
Leigh Smithson, École Secondaire Notre Dame High School teacher was on hand helping students during the electrical installation portion of the competition. He says the competition isn’t just about winning, it’s about exploring what is out there in the community for post secondary programs and career choices.
“Not everyone knows what they want to go to college or university for, this gives them the opportunity to try a few things and get a whole smattering of skills,” he says.
Skills Canada aims to promote excellence in trade and technology careers through skills competitions and hands-on programs. Students compete in 10 subjects; baking, auto service, welding, electrical installations, culinary arts, carpentry, baking, cabinet making, hair-styling and video production.
The electrical installation portion combines three areas of skills, industrial, residential and commercial.
For each category students have a set amount of time to complete the project and then are judged on things like healthy and safety compliance’s, planning and interpretation of the project and installation techniques.
Students who won Thursday’s competition will head on to provincials and then a national wide skills competition, later this year in Winnipeg.
christi.albers-manicke@www.reddeeradvocate.com