Kingston-area skills competition aimed at generating student interest in trades – Kingston | 24CA News
All this week college students within the Limestone District School Board in Kingston, Ont., can be taking part within the Limestone Skills Competition.
While a lot of the competitors will happen at St. Lawrence College, the week-long occasion began at Napanee District Secondary School.
Autobody portray is the lone commerce on Monday however autobody trainer Craig Sindall says the record of trades within the competitors this week is nearly countless.
“Construction, cabinet making, electrical, welding,” mentioned Sindall rhyming off only a few of the choices.
NDSS Grade 11 pupil Alisha Haaksman says autobody portray requires a large number of steps to get the job proper. The focus of the competitors is portray bumpers.
“We sanded them, painted them down, we have three coats; we had to go through data sheets to make sure we did the paint properly and then soon we will be doing clear coats,” mentioned Haaksman.
Grading the scholars on their work is Logan Williams, an NDSS Graduate and auto physique technician at Condie Collision in Kingston.
“I’m looking at their skills and their techniques that they’re using and mostly their ability to take critiques and use them,” mentioned Williams.
The bigger aim of expertise competitions organized by Skills Ontario is to curiosity the present era in a profession within the trades.
The federal authorities estimated 700,000 expert trades staff could be retiring between 2019 and 2028.
Sindall says many expert professions provide first rate compensation.
“You work for four or five years get your license and you’re up to $80,000, $100,000 at 21, 22 years old,” mentioned Sindall.
Wages are one of many attracts for Jacob Simpson who’s within the autobody portray competitors.
“I like I might be able to make a lot of money in it, it might be a good career option for me,” mentioned Simpson.
Grade 11 pupil and auto physique painter Joe Yeomans can be contemplating working within the trades.
“I like working hands-on and so if I can be either doing something outside or in a shop not just sitting at a desk, it’s really fun,” mentioned Yeomans.
Williams says she loves her profession and appreciated the short transition from highschool to coming into the workforce.
“Being an apprentice and going into a trade is really great because one you don’t have college debt or anything and you’re learning as your earning,” she mentioned.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development estimates the province will want 100,000 extra development staff this decade alone to fulfill the federal government’s pledge to construct 1.5 million properties by 2031.
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