RDP apprentice Ben Rainforth at the Skills Canada competition’s closing ceremonies on Saturday. (Supplied)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Ben Rainforth

RDP welding apprentice wins prestigious award at Skills Canada National Competition

May 29, 2023 | 3:57 PM

A Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) apprentice was given a prestigious award this weekend for welding at the 2023 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC).

Held in Winnipeg from May 25-26, the competition aims to bring together students and apprentices from across the country to compete against each other in their sector of expertise.

Third year apprentice Ben Rainforth earned the RBC Best of Region Award for Alberta, receiving $1,500 towards his education and future career in the trades.

Over 500 students from all regions of Canada participated in over 45 skilled trade and technology competitions. The event, which attracted over 12,000 student visitors, industry leaders, government officials and industry celebrities, is the only national, multi-trade and technology completion for students and apprentices in the country.

“The competition was pretty awesome,” said Rainforth, who qualified for the National Final at the Provincial competition earlier this month in Edmonton. “The key to my success was my instructors and my family.”

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Approximately 250 medals were awarded to the top competitors in six skilled trade and technology sectors, including transportation, construction, manufacturing and engineering, information technology, services and employment. The competitors are evaluated based on strict industry standards.

For the second consecutive year, the RBC Best of Region Awards were given at the competition to the competitor with the best weighted score from each province and territory.

“The RBC award will be going straight to the bank to invest and help with my future,” said Rainforth.

According to RBC’s ‘Powering Up’ report, which studied the current state of Canada’s Skilled trades industry, Canada will face a shortage of thousands of workers in nationally recognized Red Seal trades by 2026.

Officials say the national competition provides hands-on work experience related to skilled trade and technology careers.

“Events like the Skills Canada National Competition encourage Canadian youth to discover skilled trade and technology careers through interactive activities, and find their passion. It also allows us to raise awareness of these important and lucrative careers to our future skilled workforce,” said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer of SCNC.