College of the Rockies' main campus will play host to four skills contests for the Kootenay region in the Skills Canada British Columbia (Skills BC) competition on Friday, March 1.
The competition is open to individuals under the age of 24 who are not yet at full journeyman status. College of the Rockies will host the Carpentry, Cabinet Making, Automotive Service Technology and Welding skills competitions. Mechanical and Architectural Computer Animated Drawing/Drafting competitions will take place online prior to March 1.
Skills BC is a non-profit organization that partners with government, educators, private industry and labour to promote and celebrate skilled trades and technologies. With the looming shortage of skilled trades and technology workers in the province, Skills BC looks to encourage students to explore trades and technology career options by providing them with positive and exciting hands-on experiences.
Thirteen regional and one provincial skills competitions take place each year. Winners of the regional competitions will advance to the Provincials in Abbotsford in April where they will have the chance of advancing to the National and World Skills competitions.
College of the Rockies' Regional Transitions Coordinator and co-chair of the Skills BC Steering Committee Brian Conrad says, "The competition serves to celebrate and reward students for their excellence in trade or technology skills and to create an interactive and engaging environment for the many young people who attend the competitions as spectators."
In an effort to further encourage youth to discover trades, two hundred Grade 8 to 10 students from Creston, Kimberley, the Elk Valley and Cranbrook will be bussed to the College to observe the skills competitions, visit the Science Fair that is taking place at the College on March 1 and 2, and test out a trade with one of the exhibitors on-site.