Skill Bits The seasonal newsletter from Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador S PRI N G 20 13 Team NL takes home eleven medals at Skills Canada National Competition Team NL National Medalists Daniel Rees accepting his Gold Medal at the Skills Canada National Competition On June 4th, 2013, Team Newfoundland and Labrador set out to travel across the country to compete in the 19th Annual Skills Canada National Competition in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was quite an experience as over five hundred competitors from across all Canadian provinces and territories competed in the largest trade and technology competition in the entire country. The competitions occurred on June 6th and 7th at BC Place, a sports arena in Vancouver, with the opening and closing ceremonies taking place one day before and one day after the competitions. Forty-eight members formed Team Newfoundland and Labrador as they competed in more than forty competition areas at this pan– Canadian celebration of excellence in trade, technology and employability skill areas. “Skills Canada NL is proud to be a leader of the Skills Movement and provide young skilled trades people and technologists with an opportunity to showcase excellence in their fields,” said Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Executive Director, Carole Ann Ryan. “Team Newfoundland and Labrador showed Canada the strength of training in our province and proudly brought home eleven medals.” Congratulations, Team NL! We are so proud of you! Our National Medalists 2013 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Skills Canada National Competition Page 1 Skills Work for Women® Conferences Page 2 Annual Skilled Career Day Page 3 Jessie Meyer (College of the North Atlantic Prince Philip Drive)- Gold, Graphic Design Emily Butler (Queen Elizabeth Regional High School)- Gold, Public Speaking Daniel Rees (Holy Spirit High School)- Gold, Job Skill Demonstration and Best in Region Award Brian Forward (College of the North Atlantic Prince Philip Drive)- Gold, IT Network Systems Erica Badcock (Ascension Collegiate)- Silver, Job Interview Michael Mercer (Easter Seals)- Silver, Abilypics Photography Justin Willcott (College of the North Atlantic Prince Philip Drive)- Bronze, Website Development David Stacey (College of the North Atlantic Ridge Road)- Bronze, Electronics Greg Martin (College of the North Atlantic Ridge Road)- Bronze, Architectural and Design Courtney Samms (Woodford Training Cenrtre)- Bronze, Aesthetics Emma Power (Queen Elizabeth Regional High School)- Bronze, Graphic Design Special Thanks Page 4 Team Newfoundland and Labrador celebrating after the Awards Ceremony PAGE 2 Skills Work for Women® Conference in Burin On May 22nd, Skills Canada NL hosted a Skills Work for Women® Conference at the College of the North Atlantic Burin Campus for female intermediate and secondary students within the area. The conference was quite a success as students were able to participate in hands-on Try-A-Trade® demonstrations and talk to female mentors who are currently employed in non-traditional roles. In the Try-A-Trade® demonstrations, participants explored the welding, sheet metal and metal fabrication trades and were able to handle tools and test their abilities on a sample project. For many of these female students, this was the very first time that they handled these type of tools and equipment. And the best part– they each took home a project that they created! What a great souvenir! After spending the entire morning in the shops, participants later spoke with female mentors who revealed why they chose their career and the challenges and successes they have experienced at work. In total, twelve mentors answered questions and shared their experiences about working in male-dominated workplaces. SWFW Participants participating in the sheet metal Try-A-Trade® demonstration SWFW Participants outside College of the North Atlantic Burin Campus Skills Canada NL and FMC Technologies partner to host Skills Work for Women® Conference SWFW Participants inside the FMC Technologies workshop Participants enjoying a fantastic female mentoring session Skills Canada NL was proud to partner with FMC Technologies to host a Skills Work for Women® Conference at FMC Technologies, a leading global provider of technology solutions within the energy industry, in Donovan’s Industrial Park in Mount Pearl. On May 24th, female intermediate students from Holy Cross Junior High had the opportunity to explore the state-of -the-art facility and talk to female mentors about careers in maledominated workplaces. The mentors, who are currently employed by FMC Technologies as Petroleum and Safety Engineer Technologists, did a fabulous job explaining why their chose their career path, the challenges they After the mentoring session, participants were able to explore the 30,000 square foot high bay and workshop space, the subsea controls module clean room and test pit. It was quite the learning experience! Skills Canada NL’s Skills Work for Women® Conferences have received glowing reviews since their inception in 2001. By showing young females employment areas that they may not have otherwise considered, Skills Canada NL is inspiring skilled workers and ensuring Canada’s continued economic prosperity. “This program really gave me a better idea and understanding of what I want to do in the future.” -SWFW Participant SKILL BITS PAGE 3 Annual Skilled Career Day featuring the 16th Provincial Competitions Courtney Samms, Aesthetics Competitor at both the Provincial and National Competition On April 12th, 2013, Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador hosted the Annual Skilled Career Day in conjunction with the 16th Annual Provincial Competitions at College of the North Atlantic– Prince Philip Drive Campus. This day is dedicated to celebrating the work of young skilled trades-people and technologists and highlighting the array of rewarding career opportunities available in these fields. With over 200 competitors, over 100 volunteers and nearly 250 visiting students touring competition sites, Annual Skilled Career Day is Skills Canada NL’s largest event of the year! Attractions of this year’s instalment included nine different Try-A-Trades® demonstrations, a career showcase, guided tours of the school, a youth leadership conference, teacher’s reception, a Skills Work for Women® Conference, partnership luncheon and so much more! Most prominent throughout the day, however, were the Skills Canada Provincial Competitions, from which the Gold medal winners formed Team Newfoundland and Labrador 2013 and competed in the Skills Canada National Competition in early June. Some of the Gold Medal Provincial Winners. Meet Team Newfoundland and Labrador 2013 Gold Medal Provincial Winners– Team NL Baking (Post– Secondary) Megan Cochrane– C.N.A. Seal Cove Car Painting Brian Butler– C.N.A. Prince Philip Drive 3D Computer Animation Michelle Crowley-Hearn and Maggie Mackinnon– Prince of Wales Collegiate Culinary Arts (Secondary) Justin Butler– Queen Elizabeth Regional High Robotics Michael Budgell, Jaden Diamond, Christina Michelin, Tyler Mills– Botwood Collegiate 2D Computer Animation Jessie Downey and Hilary Pauls– Ascension Collegiate Culinary Arts (Post– Secondary) Brittany Piercey– C.N.A. Prince Philip Drive Hairstyling Kimberlee Golder– C.N.A. Bay St. George Aesthetics Courtney Samms– Woodford Traing Centre Industrial Mechanic Millwright Tim Budgell– Carpenters Millwrights College Architectural Technology & Design Greg Martin– C.N.A. Ridge Road Carpentry Jeff Barker– Carpenters Millwrights College Steamfitter/Pipefitter David Hurley– UA Local 740 Training Centre Welding Robin Eddy– C.N.A. Prince Philip Drive Mechanical CADD Matthew Fudge– C.N.A. Prince Philip Drive Graphic Design (Secondary) Emma Power– Queen Elizabeth Region High Graphic Design (Post-Secondary) Jessie Meyer– C.N.A. Prince Philip Drive TV/Video Production Devin Sooley and Raylene Mackey– St. Kevin’s High Electronics David Stacey– C.N.A. Ridge Road IT Network Systems Administration (Secondary) Brandon Trzeciak– Carbonear Collegiate Plumbing Curtis Jackson– UA Local 740 Training Centre IT Network Systems Administration (Post-Secondary) Cabinet Making Brian Forward– C.N.A. Prince Philip Drive Boyd Auchinleck– C.N.A. Port Aux Basques Mechatronics Jason Fong and Nathan Stone– C.N.A. Ridge Road Job Search Erica Badcock– Ascension Collegiate Public Speaking Emily Butler– Queen Elizabeth Regional High Job Skill Demonstration Daniel Rees– Holy Spirit High School Work Place Safety Robyn Follett– EG Lambert All Grade Heavy Equipment Service Technician Cory Norman– C.N.A. Happy Valley– Goose Bay Electrical Installations Stephen Leamon– C.N.A. Seal Cove Sheet Metal Jonathan Kelly– C.N.A. Burin Print Media Technology Adam Roberts– C.N.A. Prince Philip Drive Automotive Service Evan Cox– C.N.A. Prince Philip Drive IT Software Solutions for Business (Secondary) Jared Petten– Ascension Collegiate Precision Machining Gavin Diamond– C.N.A. Placentia Autobody Repair Cody Alyward– C.N.A. Prince Philip Drive IT Software Solutions for Business (Post-Secondary) Chantille Prince– Stagg– C.N.A. Bonavista Website Development Justin Willcott– C.N.A. Prince Philip Drive Abilympics Photography Michael Mercer– Easter Seals SKILL BITS Refrigeration/ Air Conditioning Nicola Ryan– C.N.A. Ridge Road PAGE Thank You Students, teachers, school liaisons, technical committee members, volunteers, mentors, partners, judges, trade demonstrators… Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador would like to thank you for all your dedication and support for our programming. Without you, our achievements would not be possible. HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! Carole Ann Ryan Executive Director newfoundland@skillscanada.com Deanne Oliver Project Manager - Logistics & Equity deanneo@skillscanada.com Jess Baldwin Communications & Partnerships Coordinator jessicab@skillscanada.com Brad Kelly Program Coordinator bradk@skillscanada.com Like us on Facebook! “Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador” Follow us on Twitter! @Skills_NL Subscribe to us on YouTube! SkillsCanadaNL Skills Canada NL 75 Barbour Drive (2nd Floor) Mount Pearl, NL A1N 2X3 www.skillscanada-nfld.com Phone: (709) 739-4172 Fax: (709) 739-4198 4