Try-a-trade opens possibilities - Lloydminster Meridian Booster ...
“They aren’t aware of the opportunities so when they go to the try-a-trade and they can lay bricks, put plaster on a wall and use a Hilti Nailer. For the third year the Lloydminster Construction Association put on the try-a-trade expo, hoping to spread the word of the value and potential of a career in the trades. As an industrial arts teacher in Bender said he has seen the kind of positive impact skilled labour and trades work can have on young students. Last year about 2,100 students registered to go to the try-a-trade expo, and this year organizers are hoping for similar numbers. Bender was enthusiastic about the fact several students wanted to compete so much that they had to compete to earn their way there. “Skills Canada has a positive impact even with the students who aren’t competing,” said Bender. “Try-a-trade program excites them (students) to see all the opportunities,” said Bender. “Kids see the value in the trades and how rewarding it is to work with their hands and produce something,” said Bender. “You see them when they’re 15 or 16 working with their hands, working with wood, metal or in the electrical trades and they realize they can build something. “It’s to generate interest with youth that are considering future career options,” said Kevin Bender, an industrial arts teacher at Holy Rosary High School. It starts with regionals, in Vermilion at Lakeland College this year, where students compete in various trades. “We’re trying to meet the need, we’re looking at options to involve as many students as possible. “A lot of students just come alive,” said Bender. Within our high school we had students compete for the regional spots. This year’s expo featured 51 designated trades in seven industries.