The Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre hosted the International Training Institute's Region 12 Apprentice Competition January 15 to 18.

Thirty-three contestants from as far south as Portland, OR; as far east as Boise, ID and Saskatoon, SK; and as north as Anchorage and Fairbanks, AK competed in five categories - HVAC, industrial, architectural, service, and TAB (testing and balancing).

Three Local 280 apprentices were selected to compete, based on their performance at the local competition last October. Brennan Casey of Austin Metal Fabricators LP was only six points away from third place in the HVAC segment, and he came first in the sketching discipline of that category. Mark Mullen of Keith Panel Systems was also close behind the third place taker in the Architectural segment. Austin Sheet Metal's Joseph Grunau, selected to participate in the Industrial category, was unable to attend.

"I thought our guys did a great job of standing in and of performing and of being great hosts," says Jud Martell, co-ordinator at SMWTC. "The competitors were chosen to be the top 33 in Western Canada, so they are already winners. To categorize them from one to five is just for common sense. Every apprentice there, including our own, should take back a real winners attitude on this."

The three-day event took place in various sections between the Hilton Metrotown for some of the written work and Saturday night's banquet, and the Training Centre for all the shop work.

The HVAC shop project, a run of duct, was incredibly detailed and quite difficult, says Martell.  The architectural project was a roof jack on a slope, and contestants in the Industrial category were tasked with a small hopper with a stand. The Service project comprised of copper tubing and soldering and a service board with thermostat and control, and TAB involved a written practical.  

Nearly 50 procters and judges oversaw the event, with Stephen Smith (Spokane JATC) and Ward Isaacs (Fairbanks JATC) taking the leadership roles.  SMWTC was represented by instructors Jake LeBlanc, Bob Pascuzzi, and Gabriel Poon, as well as several trustees. Martell says that as the only accredited ITI Canadian JATC, the Training Centre was in a good position to host the event.

"It shows the ability for us to respond and participate at a high level," he says. "For us it is always a good test of 'the metal of the place' so to speak. I think we stood in and got a ton of help from everyone – and important too, we were a courteous host."

The Training Centre received great support for the event from SMACNA-BC, Local 280, Region 12 Contest Committee, and the ITI - support for which Martell and the Centre extend their gratitude and appreciation.

"We really have to find a way to celebrate the greatness in our apprentices," says Martell. "This is how we do it. This is a great show for our apprentices to have the opportunity to really shine and show what they can do. There's a real art to the form, and this is where it can come out and shine for a few days."

For more information visit the Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre online at www.smwtcs.ca> or call 604.291.0656.

SMJ