By Kim Van Haren
Three TRU students celebrated big wins at the Skills Canada National competition in Quebec City from May 29 – June 1, bringing home gold and bronze in welding and silver in carpentry.
Medal winners Alexis Nelson, Matthew Lavigne and Cole Allan were among five School of Trades and Technology students representing Team BC at the annual national competition, where more than 500 students and apprentices from across the country compete in over 40 trades.
Pictured left: Welding bronze medal winner Alexis Nelson (secondary level)
According to Skills Canada, competitors were evaluated based on strict industry standards and competed against Canada’s best.
TRU medal winner, secondary level:
- Welding Bronze – Alexis Nelson, Welding Foundation Program
TRU medal winners, post-secondary level:
- Welding Gold – Cole Allan, Welding Level B Program
- Carpentry Silver – Matthew Lavigne, Carpentry Foundation Program
Pictured right: Carpentry silver medal winner Matthew Lavigne (post-secondary level)
It was a second Skills Canada triumph for Lavigne (post-secondary level) and Allan (post-secondary level) who, at last year’s competition, nabbed silver for carpentry and bronze for welding, respectively.
Alexis Nelson graduates from Barriere Secondary this year and is looking forward to becoming a Red Seal certified welder.
“The Skills Canada National Competition allows us to engage with our country’s future skilled workforce and inform them of the many opportunities that exist in the skilled trades and technologies,” said Shaun Thorson, chief executive officer, Skills/Compétences Canada. “Through interactive activities, they can discover their interests and the great careers that are available to them in these in-demand sectors.”
