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SKILLS ON DISPLAY

RDC apprenticeship students competing at 2019 Skills Canada Nationals

May 28, 2019 | 7:20 AM

RED DEER- Red Deer College will be well-represented at the 25th Skills Canada National Competition in Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 28 and 29 with six apprenticeship students and alumni competing at the annual event.

Three of the competitors are gold medal winners from the recent Skills Canada Alberta Provincial Competition, held on May 8 and 9: Clay Flack, RDC Sprinkler System Installer alumnus, Dayton Playford, RDC Welder alumnus, and Sam Rufenacht, 4th year Heavy Equipment Technician apprentice.

These three students will test their skills against apprentices from across the country at the national event. They will complete three projects over a two-day span, and will be judged by industry experts who assess the competitor’s practical skills, trouble-shooting abilities, and technical knowledge in their trades.

The remaining three competitors from RDC are moving on from last year’s national competition and vying for spots on Team Canada, looking for a chance to represent the nation at WorldSkills 2019 in Kazan, Russia.

Eric Koster, RDC Electrician alumnus, earned gold in Electrical Installations, Justin Meldrum, RDC Welder alumnus, earned gold in Welder, and Taylor McCallum, RDC Plumber alumnus, was named one of the top two age-eligible (22 and under) competitors in Plumbing at 2018 Skills Canada National Competition.

Since WorldSkills events are held every two years, 2018 was a qualifying year for the upcoming competition in Russia. The top two age-eligible candidates from 2018 in each skill area will compete head-to-head to determine who will represent Canada at WorldSkills Kazan in August. Koster, Meldrum, and McCallum, who have spent the past 11 months training and honing their skills, will compete in a Team Canada selection event from May 27 to 29, which coincides with the Skills Canada National Competition.

(Red Deer College)