Numerous students from the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) travelled to Regina for the Skills Canada provincial competition on April 13.
Nine ECS students brought home medals from the competition. Jade Ruel won gold in architectural computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), while Levi Stepp brought home silver.
ECS students took the top two spots in another event, as Cazlynn Barnstable won gold in hairstyling and Ricki Graham captured a silver medal.
Eric Swirski won a gold medal in mechanical CADD for the second consecutive year, and Hunter Wallster captured a gold medal in precision machining.
Ashley Tedford won a silver medal in beauty therapy, and Avery McNabb brought home silver in bridal hairstyling.
In the information-technology (IT) software applications event, Conner Gerling won a bronze medal.
Other students who attended provincials were Morgan Lowenberg in architectural CADD, Emma Anderson in IT software, Jonathon Swirski in mechanical CADD, Ciara Dayman in welding, Shanelle Rioux in braiding and bridal, Joseph Lemin in photography, and Tyler Knibbs and Kaitlynn Ricard in television and video production.
Also, McKenna Van de Woestyne was a model in beauty therapy.
“They worked hard, had good skill and knowledge, a good work ethic out there, and represented our school proudly,” said Joyce Mack, who instructs the hairstyling students.
Every category is different for Skills Canada provincials, Mack said. Some of the competitions give the students a chance to prepare in advance, and some require more work to prepare than others.
“I’ve seen students put in an extra 200 hours between weekends and after school in order to be successful and survive on the competition floor,” said Mack.
The staff also dedicates a lot of time to ensure the students are ready.
“When they’re looking at putting in those extra 100 or 200 hours, that’s us working alongside them after schools and weekends,” said Mack. “Plus there’s a lot of prep work getting stuff ready and purchased and practiced for them.”
Mack believes the teachers need to dedicate a lot of time to create a level playing field for the students, particularly if they make it to nationals.
Provincials is getting tougher each year, she said. It shows in the scopes assigned to the students, and they have to work hard so they can absorb it.
“It’s made for industry testing,” said Mack. “So therefore you’re putting in more time to break it down, the students are putting in more time to break it down, and it’s giving us top quality work out there.”
When the students are finished, they’re tired, just like at the end of a work day, Mack said.
The gold medallists earned the opportunity to represent Saskatchewan at the Skills Canada national competition from June 3-6 in Edmonton. Graham will be representing Saskatchewan in hairstyling, as Barnstable has another commitment and will be unable to attend.
“Now we work at which categories or tests are different from provincials to nationals, because we’re going from a one-day competition to a two-day competition,” said Mack. “So there are more hours now, with six hours of competing.”
