Five Nanaimo school district students took home gold medals at the B.C. Skills Canada competition.
Local students took home gold medals in TV/video production, automotive service and 3-D computer animation at the April 20 competition, which earns them a spot in the national Skills Canada competition June 1-4 in Quebec City.
Nanaimo District Secondary School Grade 12 students Robert Keel and Jean-Luc Major have worked together behind the video camera for several years, producing short film clips instead of posters for school research projects.
Keel writes the script and handles the camera, while Major handles the editing.
The pair spent their first semester this year researching everything there is to know about film and television production before scooping up the gold medal in TV/video production at the provincial competition. To win, they created a three-minute clip in under six hours.
"It was kind of an adrenaline rush," said Major.
"I can't draw, I can't paint, so it's my form of creative expression," said Keel. "It just comes naturally."
Both went into the competition intimidated by the higher quality of equipment others had and were surprised to learn they won first place.
"We had no way of judging what was good," said Keel. "It was a pretty pleasant surprise."
Stryder Cooke took gold in automotive service, a skill he said comes to him easily because he enjoys working on cars.
"I've loved it since I was a little kid," he said. "I started hanging out with my dad in the garage when I was four."
Cooke said the nationals are in the same week as his graduation ceremony and prom, so he's going to skip the graduation ceremony and take a red-eye flight back in time for prom.
"I've talked to numerous people who say [participating in the national competition is] a really good thing to have on a resumé," he said.
Grade 11 Dover Bay students Josiah Stefani and Jamie Ruddick also head to nationals to compete in the 3-D computer animation category.
Rick McDonough, coordinator of the district's Career Technical Centre and apprenticeship programs, said nine Nanaimo students went to the provincial Skills Canada competition in Abbotsford.
"This is a chance for kids in hands-on, applied skills courses to shine a bit," he said. "I just hope it opens up opportunities for them."
CTC student Melody Kostamo took the silver medal in the culinary arts category, Vancouver Island University student Jade Eliason took bronze in refrigeration, and Cooke and NDSS student Kyle Campbell won safe worker awards.
Skills Canada is a national, non-profit organization that works with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trades and technology careers among Canadian youth.
Nanaimo history at national Skills Canada competitions
u 2010: Vancouver Island University baking student Kristina Dyrblom placed fifth of nine competitors in the post-secondary baking category
u 2009: VIU student Brian Davis won gold in the post-secondary carpentry category;
Mike Kleywegt, a CNC machinist trained by VMAC, won silver in that category
NDSS student Kyle Laitinen also competed in the secondary carpentry program
u 2008: Dover Bay Secondary School students Andrea Carrol and Davis Sun won bronze in the 3-D computer animation category
NDSS student Grant Ayers placed fifth in the welding category