Local high school students compete at Skills Canada competition

By Samantha Johnson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on April 25, 2023.

reporter@medicinehatnews.com

The South East Regional Skills Canada Competition took place across Medicine Hat on Friday – with automobile technology, cabinet making, baking, carpentry, culinary arts, video production, along with junior and intermediate hairstyling competitions taking place at Medicine Hat College, Medicine Hat High School and Monsignor McCoy High School.

Students in Grades 10-12 were competing in the eight categories with the top two from each event moving onto provincials, which will be held in Edmonton at the Expo Centre during the first week of May with all expenses paid. Those who place in provincials have a chance to go to the national competition in Winnipeg and from there to the world competition in France.

“Many will be inspired by the teachers they have and courses they are taking in school,” said Haley Albright, education facilitator with Skills Canada Alberta. “It’s been different this year because of getting back into it. We are picking back up where we left off, so it’s been a little slower but there are about 10 events we have regionals for.”

Sydnie Bouchard is a Grade 12 student at Hat High and was entered into the hairstyling competition.

“It’s a been a dream career for me since a couple years back,” said Bouchard. “Having the opportunity to be in a cosmetology course here, I just moved here last summer, is awesome.”

Bouchard says she plans to return to Hat High next year to complete the course, after which she’ll be able to take her government exams.

“I’m not much of a competitive person, but when it was explained what this was about, I was excited about it,” she said.

Bouchard and the other contestants had 90 minutes to complete a hairstyle.

Nathan Wolf is a teacher at Brooks Composite High School and his students were at the school at 5:30 a.m. to get on the bus for the trip to Medicine Hat.

“We have eight competitors here today; we are actually the biggest team. They are working on nine different stations from different automotive systems that you would find on vehicles. They have display models they are working on doing different tasks.”

Judges were looking for correct completeness, if the students did the task in the correct order, accuracy of measurements, and adherence to safe working procedures.

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