Medal haul for Team B.C.

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The best trades and technology students in British Columbia were honoured today by more than 200 attendees at the 22nd annual Skills Canada BC gala in Vancouver.

Fifty-six students from secondary and post-secondary schools throughout B.C. went head to head with students from across Canada at the 2016 Skills Canada competition in Moncton, N.B., in June. Team BC brought home 28 medals – nine gold, eight silver and 11 bronze – in areas that included welding, carpentry, electronics, robotics, 3D animation and IT systems.

Team BC was recognized today by Greg Kyllo, Parliamentary Secretary for the B.C. Jobs Plan, on behalf of Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour. Kyllo was joined by Skills Canada BC president Kelly Betts along with representatives from the BC Technology Industry Association, the New Car Dealers Association of BC, Kitimat LNG, LNG Canada and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Two Team BC competitors, Andrew Christensen (welding) and Judd Foster (electronics), will represent Canada at the WorldSkills competition in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in October 2017.

The Skills Canada national competition is the only Olympic-style, multi-trade and technology event of its kind for Canadian students and apprentices.

About 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.