July 14, 2025 • 25 mins
The CWB Association is thrilled to collaborate with Skills/Compétences Canada on a special podcast series. This year, we are excited to interview the Skills Canada Executive Directors from across Canada. Tune in as we explore their skills journey and commitment to promoting skilled trades in their provinces and territories!
Maria Pacella's remarkable 20-year journey as Executive Director of Skills Canada Manitoba offers powerful insights into building pathways for young people to discover careers they never imagined. From her unexpected transition from politics to skills development, Maria has witnessed a profound shift in how society values the trades. When she began, schools reluctantly allowed Skills Manitoba to promote trades education. Today, those same institutions actively seek their guidance, recognizing that trades offer students viable, rewarding career options.
Website: www.skillsmanitoba.ca
Follow Skills/Compétences Canada:
Website: https://www.skillscompetencescanada.com/en/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SkillsCanadaOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skillscompetencescanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/skills_canada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skillscanada
There is no better time to be a member! The CWB Association membership is new, improved, and focused on you. We offer a FREE membership with a full suite of benefits to build your career, stay informed, and support the Canadian welding industry. https://www.cwbgroup.org/association/become-a-member
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, I check, check.
Good, so I'm Max Duran.
Max Duran, cwb AssociationWelding Podcast, podcast podcast
.
Today we have a really coolguest welding podcast.
The show is about to begin.
Hello and welcome to anotheredition of the CWB Association
(00:27):
Podcast.
Today we are here in beautiful,sunny Regina, saskatchewan, for
Skills National Competition.
This program and this episodeis a part of a series that we're
going to be doing all week herein Regina with all the
executive directors of theprovinces and territories of
Canada.
I've been excited for this.
Last year we did the NAC, theyear before that we did all the
(00:49):
PTCs, and now we have a wholeother group of people that we're
going to get their experiencesfrom.
Today I have Maria Pacella fromManitoba here with me.
And how are you doing, maria?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Doing fantastic, loving the sunshine.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yeah, how has the week been so far?
Great.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yes, We've come with a team of 62 young people from
post-secondary and secondaryschools for Manitoba and about
35 advisors chaperones thataccompany them.
They've had a fabulous time.
We came by bus, oh.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I guess You're only five hours away.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah, we're five hours away.
I mean, I think it's the bestdecision we've ever made.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Way cheaper.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Way cheaper.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
And you get to be comrades on the bus.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Absolutely, and we just loved it.
Yeah, everybody did.
And I mean it took us what fiveand a half hours door to door,
as opposed to spending umpteenhours in an airport.
Getting nervous, gettingnervous and you know, having to
change flights and yeah, it wasperfect, it was a.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
You've got a big group.
Yeah, we do Like a hundred.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
We have a hundred people.
We always travel.
We do have a very big group,yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Now in Manitoba.
It's a big province with asmaller population, a lot like
Saskatchewan right Now.
How is it like to coordinatethat much space, school systems,
areas?
As a director for skills,because I mean lots of the
bigger centers like Ontario.
They break it into pieces.
They've got millions of people.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Right, but for us out here out west.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
It's a little bit more tricky.
It's a little more tricky.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Well, first of all, I have the most amazing staff,
the best in the country.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Kudos.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
So we actually have a superb network with our school
system and we are, I believe,very respected.
We have a fabulous relationship.
It works both ways.
We've developed the North.
So one of my staff and I, manyyears ago, went up north and
started developing programs andthen we were successful with
(02:49):
Manitoba Apprenticeship to get aposition up north.
So we've had a really goodrelationship with our provincial
government and, of course, asyou know, we're all federally
funded as well.
So, great partnership in mycommunity and kudos to both the
province and the federalgovernment for giving us an
opportunity to expand.
So I think that that has helpedus reach the north and last
(03:12):
year we had three northern goldmedalists, which is a first.
That's wild, and that's becausewe've been up there doing
programs, we've been up thereintroducing them to the trades
Finding those gems, findingthose gems, and we have the
staff person who go into remotecommunities, and so, yeah, we're
really proud of our Manitobaprograms.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
And quick shout out to the PAW in the northern areas
of Manitoba right now.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yes, very sad that are going through the forest
fires, so I hope everyone's safe.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
I hope all the the competitors families here are
doing all right and safe becausethat's scary out here out west
our forest fires are are nojokes so, yes, we, we wish them
all well, we're praying for them, that's right now for yourself.
You know, maria?
Um, actually I got a questionthat just popped off the top of
my head maria picella, is thatspanish?
What is?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
italian.
It's italian.
Oh, we got another italian here.
Okay, yes, yeah, so so I wasborn in Manitoba.
My parents came over from Italyin the late 50s.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, Cool, and now you're coming into skill.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
That's always, and I've met people over the years.
It can be from a variety ofdifferent areas.
A variety of different areas.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yes, I would never have known that I would be.
My fascination was alwayspolitics.
So, I'm actually a graduate of Uof M social work, but I didn't
spend too much time there.
I actually spent most of mytime in the political arena,
first provincially with the NDPgovernment in the mid to late
(04:40):
80s late 80s and loved that,loved the community building,
loved working with people, foundthat to be my passion.
Then I went off and stayed homewith my family and had children
and after that I found myselfback into the federal political
arena.
Anyways, all fun, fantastic,great people I worked with.
(05:02):
And then things changedpolitically and I found myself
looking for a new position andsomeone led me to skills.
They thought I had thetransferable skills to work with
skills and I haven't turnedback.
I haven't been anywhere thatlong.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
You're saying almost 20 years.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Next year is 20 years and I usually do two to four
year stints, so this has been mylongest stint and I'm loving
every minute.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
At this point, do you think you're ever going to get
away?
Speaker 2 (05:30):
I don't know.
I really.
I mean, I keep telling people Idon't know like.
I'm loving it.
I'm still enjoying it.
I love working with youngpeople.
I've seen the growth anddevelopment in our own province
when I first started almost 20years ago.
Well, 20 years ago we had theskills competition, which was
amazing and it's still goingstrong.
(05:51):
It was really well established.
We have a fabulous partner inRed River College.
They're an amazing.
All our colleges are amazing,but they're our premier partner.
Very, uh, very ambitious collegevery ambitious college and
we've been working with them andthey've been hosting our event
for over 27 years.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
So without them we wouldn't be as good as we are.
So, uh, and a kudos to theirother colleges MITT and.
Assiniboine community collegeand university college of the
North as well, because they'rehuge partners as well.
But so our expansion has beendue to the great partnerships.
I mean, we were a small staff.
We're eight staff.
(06:32):
When I first started there wasthree of us, so over the years
we've been able to develop eightto nine strong and solid staff
and who are active every day.
We're all across the province.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
We work in.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Thompson the province .
Yeah, we work in Thompson thePAW, I mean, you name it.
We're there and we're strong inrural Manitoba as well as
Winnipeg.
Our tri-trade events arefabulous.
Very well attended Very wellattended and some of our most
popular, other than thecompetition.
We're 500 competitors strong.
We've always maintained thatstrength, I have to say, for the
(07:06):
last 27 years and I think we'regetting stronger and I I see
the increase in participationover the years um and our young
women's conferences.
We're really proud of them wehave, uh, over 10 of them across
the province.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
they're're very popular and, yes, so, and we're
seeing it, and that's not justlike a big push now.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
It's a need, it's a necessity, it's a necessity, and
I remember it's hard to getstatistics.
As you know, there's a lot ofprivacy issues right.
We're not allowed to find outwhat kids do and how they where
they move on to, but anecdotally, we've been told by colleges
that they do see an increase inwomen going into the trades.
And we'd like to take somecredit for that for introducing
(07:51):
the young women.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
We just went and introduced the welders this
morning as part of our yearlyritual.
We always talk to the weldersin the morning, kind of pump
them up, and we saw five womenin the women for welding, which
was the most.
We commented this is the mostwomen we've seen come to the
provincial competition ornational competition and that's
good but still not enough.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Not enough, not enough.
We've got to keep working at it.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Now for yourself to come into the role of ED for
skills.
There's kind of a couple waysthat you either have a really
good trades background or you'rereally good at managing people,
because so much of this job isreally connections, community
being out there.
Now your political backgroundlines up with that perfectly and
that's why I was hired.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
It was for that and I have to say again, with the
strength of my amazing staff, itis a strength.
And so we've been able to buildreally strong.
When we first started, I had Ithink I'm going to say maybe
three, four or five sponsors.
We're probably close to ahundred sponsors.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Good.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
So we're very well respected.
We have good, goodrelationships with our people
and they like what we do.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
And uh, we, we like to think that, uh, you know, we
sort of produce what peopleexpect and the staff are very
passionate and committed, eachand every one of them, and uh,
so I'm really proud of them.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
How's the relationship with apprenticeship
in Manitoba?
Because I think nationallyManitoba sometimes gets looked
at as a lower apprenticeshipprovince.
It's got lower numbers of RedSeals coming out of it.
It's got a less number ofavailable Red Seal programs.
But you know, you're on theinside, you work with trades
every day.
You know how do you see thatrelationship building?
Speaker 2 (09:34):
side.
You work with the trades everyday.
You know how do you see thatrelationship building.
Well, I have to say, withskills, manitoba um, we have a
great relationship with, withapprenticeship.
We're really proud of it.
Uh, we had a lesser uhrelationship 20 years ago but
over the last 20 years it'sreally built an increase where
we have a really good sort of wework together a lot, we do a
(09:54):
lot of programs together andthey do support what we're doing
.
They have us, we do ourin-school program and they
actually have us deliver it ontheir behalf.
So they really do support usand we actually do two events
for them the awards ofdistinction and highest
achievement awards.
They've designated anddelegated those events that are
their events for us to organize.
(10:16):
So I think that shows themutual respect and we really do
appreciate them.
And there's been a lot ofchange in apprenticeship, as
there is in every province but Ithink it's getting stronger and
stronger.
And Skills Manitoba has anamazing relationship with them.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
It does Good.
Now what about the students inthe colleges, these programs
that are coming up?
We have a chapter, so we havechapters across Canada.
As an association, we have astrong chapter in Winnipeg and
many of our chapter members areat MIT Red.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
River College.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
They're all teachers, instructors, even that very
large high school program.
There's a welding high school.
Oh, I don't remember right nowTechVoc.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Yeah, toby works there.
Toby works there yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
And uh, toby's our chair in in in Manitoba.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Toby's amazing.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
That's right so these relationships and Toby was
going to be here but he actuallylet someone else come because
he's like you know, I've been toa hundred of and that
relationship, that communitybuilding, is exactly why the CWB
works with skills.
Yes, right, because we kind oflive in the same realm.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yes, and you've supported a lot of our camps
over the years in which we'vereally appreciated and Toby's
worked with you on camps on ourbehalf for the summer, as well
as in Northern Manitoba.
So we've always appreciatedNate and Welding Bureau because
they've been there for us.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Now let's talk about the competitors.
Yes, appreciated native weldingbureau, because they've been
there for us.
Now let's talk about thecompetitors.
Yeah, 62 competitors here.
Which are the?
How many of those are coming in?
Gold medalists, like?
How many of?
Speaker 2 (11:40):
these are.
It's a world's year, right,it's a world's year, yeah, so
it's uh.
Well, we, we uh try to makesure we have a lot that are age
eligible for worlds because youknow there's an age restriction
of under 22, I believe yeah anduh yeah, so they're all gold
medalists in Manitoba.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
So they're hoping to become national.
Any other second term though,because there is a two-year
cycle.
I think there is a couple ofthem, yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
I don't know precisely which ones, but there
are a couple of them and yeah,so Manitoba usually does okay.
We usually, I would say weusually get about one to two
Team.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Canada Team.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Canada we usually get about one to two Team.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Canada Team Canada yeah, which is great.
Yeah, absolutely, and so I'vebeen fortunate to go to all of
them, which are the strongerones, which are the ones where
it's always, like you alwaysknow, manitou's going to take
that one.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Well, we're usually strong in the construction
trades.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Good.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Rickling has always been a strength of ours.
Those are sort of the areasthat are ours.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
And do you get to go to Worlds?
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Yes, I do I mean I've been to all of them.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Yeah, yes, I don't get to go to all of them.
I got to go to them when Iworked with Skills Right, but
now that I'm at CWB, I'm tryingmy hardest to get them to.
Let me go to China.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I want to go to Shanghai.
So bad, That'd be so cool Chinayes.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Now what have you learned?
Because you are preachingskills, you're preaching the
essential trades, you'repreaching about the involvement.
You don't come from thebackground, but you obviously
see what it does to the youth.
You see what it does in oursociety in terms of the fabric
of our infrastructure.
What has skills taught you?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Well over the years.
I have to tell you that when Ifirst started there was a sort
of a reluctancy from the schoolsto let us in there to do our
programs because, well, ofcourse they're promoting
university, and so it was a bitof a struggle for us to build up
(13:35):
our connections and and ourrelationships with the Manitoba
schools.
Now they come to us.
They come to us wanting andneeding information to provide
kids with opportunities in thetrade.
So I think that more and morepeople are looking at them as
fabulous careers.
Parents too.
They know that kids can make areally good living.
They can own their business oneday.
So it's, I think, more and more.
I know in my circle of friendsthat even they themselves, who
(13:57):
have gone to university,encourage their own kids to take
a second look at the trades.
So I think mindsets are beingchanged.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Are moving.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
And I think Skills Canada, national Skills Canada,
across the country has been abig, big provided, a
contribution in that too.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
I think we've been just glamorizing a bit.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
We have, and I think we sometimes take that for
granted and we're so humble asan organization, nationally and
provincially, but I think weneed to take some of that credit
because, we have made it reallyexciting and sexy and, wow,
it's great to be involved inskills and, as you saw at the
opening last night, all thoseyoung people on stage.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Who at?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
one time never thought they would ever be able
to do something like that andare so proud of themselves.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
I love that because I know both of them very well
Leah and oh my gosh, I forgothis name.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Oh, the MCs that I don't know.
I know Emma, one of my alumniwas up there and she was amazing
.
Emma, one of my alumni was upthere and she was amazing, I'm
so proud of her.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
I remember seeing them over the years sky reserved
, nervous, and you still see thenerves, but it doesn't stop
them now.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
It doesn't stop them now.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
They just know that they can do it.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Yes, that confidence building, it's total confidence
builder.
Yeah, this event is amazing.
They've produced a lot ofsuperstars.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Now over 20 years.
You've probably seen a lot ofpeople go through the cycle of
skills.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yes, right.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
And I talk about that all the time is that you know
you kind of dip a finger in theskills, you're getting pulled
into the swimming pool and youmight never get out.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Oh, absolutely.
We have competitors.
That started out, let's say,even before I came on who are
now instructors at the college.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yeah, who are promoting skills to?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
their students.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
So it's full circle A lot of them stay involved with
skills.
They become volunteers, they goto the college, they start
becoming teachers.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Mentors, mentors, absolutely yeah.
Now, in the 20 years thatyou've been with this because I
love that you've been there solong, because it gives me a
different perspective what aresome of the obstacles that
you've seen be like?
Really disheartening, becauseit's not all ups, there's gonna
have been some times when you'relike you know funding gets cut
here or something happens there.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
You know well we've had a lot of anxious moments
yeah uh, over the years, fundingwas probably one of the biggest
, uh, anxious, moments, I think,as we were building our
sponsorship, our corporatesponsorship, and knowing that,
um, it would be so helpful toexpand our programs, which we
(16:27):
very much wanted to do yeah that, um, you know, in the earlier
years it took a bit of timeuntil people felt, okay, we like
what you do.
So it took a while to proveyourself to prove ourselves
Right and so we.
Those were hard years and thenthere were some times where some
of the provincial and federalfunding it wasn't always so
secure because it never is.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
No, in Saskatchewan.
We had a collapse here.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
You know you have to continue to prove yourself and
make yourself relevant.
So I think you know sort ofrelevancy and maintaining
relevancy has been veryimportant as a provincial
organization and I think as afederal organization.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
So we've had some dips, ups and downs, but we've
yeah, it's a big turning wheel,it is Right.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
So you got to get through those low points to get
back up on the high.
The sponsorship part's huge.
It is no-transcript, you knowother form of supplementing.
The resources is huge, it'shuge, it's huge.
And if you can get a couple bigsponsors, that's great.
(17:30):
But everyone's chasing the bigwhales and one of the things
that we've learned at the CWB interms of our connections and, I
think, skills, is what they'redoing it.
Amazing now is that they're notjust looking for the big whales
, like, yes, if we can get amillion-dollar donation, of
course, who's going to say no toa million dollars?
But if you can get, you know, ahundred smaller local companies
(17:52):
to invest and be involved, thatgrassroots you know of
involvement, that's sustainable.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Absolutely.
And you know what.
That's what we're proud of inManitoba, because the majority
of my funders are smallgrassroots.
And you know what.
That's what we're proud of inManitoba, because the majority
of my funders are smallgrassroots.
And we built from there andthey're still staying with us.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
And I'm so proud of that.
Well, they hire the kids.
They literally see it as aninvestment into their own
workforce.
They do, they do, yeah.
So for you coming here toRegina, what have you thought
about this?
Skills now, it's only day one.
It's only day one so I haven'tseen.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
You're the first person I saw.
Uh, it's an amazing venue yes,this venue is huge huge, so
we're definitely going to getour steps in today yeah so I'm
very much looking forward to it.
I love.
My favorites are cooking,baking and landscape yeah, I see
a connection there.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
I see a connection there.
I mean landscaping, is you'regoing to sit in your garden and
eat all the stuff?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Yes, yes, exactly, exactly.
That's exactly me, yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Yeah, Now do you have children?
Yes, I have two boys Now arethey in the trades at all?
No, they're not.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
They're engineers.
Well, that's still tradeadjacent.
That's kind of connected.
Absolutely, yeah, tradeadjacent.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
That's a good one.
Skills, because one of thethings that we're seeing in the
trades not just in welding butin many of the other trades is
the retention issue.
Like we've done a great job ofbringing kids in, we're doing a
great job of having people showup, sign up and even compete,
but not even the, the, thecompetitors here, in five years
are guaranteed to even be doingthis anymore, which breaks my
heart, yeah when it's like.
It's like, you know.
You see that kid coming upthrough hockey who's an all-star
and he breaks his knee andthat's the end of his career.
It's just like oh you know.
So how do we maintain thatretention piece with all these
(19:34):
competitors?
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Well, I think we encourage sort of continual
education, and I think sometimestoo the transferable skills are
important.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Because maybe sometimes you know a particular
trade that they train for isn'tactually where you know where
they're going to end up and andactually they, uh, it's
important to realize that someof those skills can be
transferred to another tradevery easily, and we see some of
that happening too Well that'sone of the things I was going to
bring up.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
That's where I was going is engineering.
Yes, a lot of parents talkabout wanting their kids to be
engineers.
When I go to high schools, Ihear a lot of kids engineering,
engineering, engineering.
But engineering is vast andwide, vast and wide and right
now in canada, in alberta,ontario and in the maritimes,
there are programs that godirectly from welding into
(20:21):
engineering, so they're calledwet programs welding engineering
technicians right, so you canget your welding, your
inspectors, and then, when youdecide to go to university
directly from welding intoengineering, so they're called
WET programs Welding EngineeringTechnicians Right, so you can
get your welding, yourinspectors and then, when you
decide to go to university, whenyou are debt-free with money in
your pocket, you're alreadycomfortable.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
And I think those make the best engineers.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
That's right, because you're not struggling and this
is what I've been trying to tellso much of this youth in terms
of retention, Like you know what, Maybe you won't be a welder in
five years, but get yourjourney person, get your make
money and build from there,Build from there, and they're
the most.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
I remember some, I think.
One of my sons said to me therewas a couple of those students
in school and they're actuallythe most successful ones because
they grasp some of the thingsat a level that others don't,
because they've seen it andthey've had more of that
hands-on experience.
So that's what I meanTransferable skills are
important.
I think that, starting in thetrades, you may not stay there.
(21:11):
You may build a business or youmay transfer to a different
trade or profession.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
What skills you know you got the essential skills.
What skills have you had tolearn moving into this position,
working with skilledtradespeople?
Speaker 2 (21:25):
skills have you had to learn moving into this
position, working with skilledtrades people what skill, oh,
you're stumping me now trying to.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Oh, you've been really good at all these okay.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Well, I think you actually have stumped me.
What skill have I learned that?
Can you help me out here?
Speaker 1 (21:42):
yeah, like so.
For example, when I came intobeing executive director to cwb,
I come from a trades backgroundwelding background, right so I
was lacking the ability tocommunicate as well as I thought
I could, and I've learnedthrough this road how to
communicate better because I'vehad to communicate to so many
different trades right, okay.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
So I kind of prided myself on communication so I saw
that as one of my strengths.
But now you've just triggeredsomething.
I felt really insecure aroundthe as a lay person, I didn't
have the language the tradelanguage and terminology.
So we work with professionaltechnical committee members that
put together a competition andthey throw around labels and
(22:24):
names that I'm like and acronyms, and I'm like what are they
talking about?
And they think I'm supposed toknow this, and so that has been
sort of an insecure spot for menot understanding the trade talk
.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Yeah, and there's always a hump right.
There's always a learning curveto any job, right?
Speaker 2 (22:41):
So now I'm more confident to say what does that
mean?
Speaker 1 (22:45):
yeah, back up.
What does a, o, a, f, f, e, amean, or whatever it is?
Yeah, yeah, now what would benext on your plate?
This seems like the dream job.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
It is a dream job I I never thought I would stay here
this long.
I thought I'd be, you know,doing something else, but I love
it very much.
No, I have.
I have no other plans.
I mean, the next plan would beto maybe travel for a permanent
new gig.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Get on the World Skills Committee yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Well, that would be nice, but I love my job.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
And.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I plan to stick around a few more years before I
retire.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
That's amazing.
Now you said your favoriteskills here are baking, cooking
and landscaping yes, they are.
Now, if you could choose onefor a new career, which one
would you choose?
I'm talking like going rightback to school, like right to
apprenticeship level one cookingand and landscape is right
behind, yeah, very close behind,yeah, their passions yeah.
(23:40):
And then do you think that youcould you handle it?
I think, oh, yeah, I couldcooking.
Looks cutthroat, man.
It does look cutthroat, I thinkyeah.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
I think I could.
But landscaping, I think, hasbecome a passion over the years,
I think the older you get.
Never thought I would be.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Yeah, I know I'm putting in some new cement pads
in my backyard next week.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
It's just so relaxing and therapeutic just love it.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Yeah, building your little yes in the world, and I
mean that's what the tradesbrings to people, is the
connection to, to the earth tonature, to your surroundings.
We are infrastructure, we arefood, we are clothing, we are
the things that help us survivewe don't exist in the
theoretical right exactly, we'revery concrete hands-on, we can
touch it yeah, now are you goingto get around to look at any of
(24:28):
the shows?
Speaker 2 (24:28):
yes, I'm looking forward to it.
That's what I'm going to dowhen I finish with you yeah, are
you going to get time?
I never get time to do the fullwalk oh no, I do the full walk
many times a day.
Yeah, you know we have littlemeetings here and there with
staff and with national staff,but right now I'm looking
forward to just hitting thehitting the walking trail here
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Yeah, well, this has been fantastic.
I just want to ask you one morequestion before.
I let you go here is in termsof advice.
When you see all thesedifferent groups coming in, all
these different kids, differenttrades, you know, and we talked
about their nerves and theconfidence building, what, what
advice could you give to themwith your experience now to say
you know, this is what you needto do, to get ahead or to do
well.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
I would say persevere , stick to it and don't give up.
That's served.
I think it served me well.
It serves everybody well.
Don't ever give up and justpersevere, keep going and don't
stop.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Awesome.
Well, thank you so much, maria,it's been fantastic.
I hope you have a wonderfulshow.
Good luck to your competitorshere from manitoba.
I hope they do well.
I am from team saskatchewan.
I am a little bit biased but Ialso love manitoba.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Okay, thank you so much.
Thank you so much okay bye-byewe hope you enjoy the show.
Bye.
All right, I check, check.
Good, so I'm Max Duran.
Max Duran, cwb AssociationWelding Podcast, podcast podcast
.
Today we have a really coolguest welding podcast.
The show is about to begin.
Hello and welcome to anotheredition of the CWB Association
(00:27):
Podcast.
Today we are here in beautiful,sunny Regina, saskatchewan, for
Skills National Competition.
This program and this episodeis a part of a series that we're
going to be doing all week herein Regina with all the
executive directors of theprovinces and territories of
Canada.
I've been excited for this.
Last year we did the NAC, theyear before that we did all the
(00:49):
PTCs, and now we have a wholeother group of people that we're
going to get their experiencesfrom.
Today I have Maria Pacella fromManitoba here with me.
And how are you doing, maria?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Doing fantastic, loving the sunshine.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yeah, how has the week been so far?
Great.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yes, We've come with a team of 62 young people from
post-secondary and secondaryschools for Manitoba and about
35 advisors chaperones thataccompany them.
They've had a fabulous time.
We came by bus, oh.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I guess You're only five hours away.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah, we're five hours away.
I mean, I think it's the bestdecision we've ever made.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Way cheaper.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Way cheaper.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
And you get to be comrades on the bus.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Absolutely, and we just loved it.
Yeah, everybody did.
And I mean it took us what fiveand a half hours door to door,
as opposed to spending umpteenhours in an airport.
Getting nervous, gettingnervous and you know, having to
change flights and yeah, it wasperfect, it was a.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
You've got a big group.
Yeah, we do Like a hundred.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
We have a hundred people.
We always travel.
We do have a very big group,yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Now in Manitoba.
It's a big province with asmaller population, a lot like
Saskatchewan right Now.
How is it like to coordinatethat much space, school systems,
areas?
As a director for skills,because I mean lots of the
bigger centers like Ontario.
They break it into pieces.
They've got millions of people.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Right, but for us out here out west.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
It's a little bit more tricky.
It's a little more tricky.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Well, first of all, I have the most amazing staff,
the best in the country.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Kudos.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
So we actually have a superb network with our school
system and we are, I believe,very respected.
We have a fabulous relationship.
It works both ways.
We've developed the North.
So one of my staff and I, manyyears ago, went up north and
started developing programs andthen we were successful with
(02:49):
Manitoba Apprenticeship to get aposition up north.
So we've had a really goodrelationship with our provincial
government and, of course, asyou know, we're all federally
funded as well.
So, great partnership in mycommunity and kudos to both the
province and the federalgovernment for giving us an
opportunity to expand.
So I think that that has helpedus reach the north and last
(03:12):
year we had three northern goldmedalists, which is a first.
That's wild, and that's becausewe've been up there doing
programs, we've been up thereintroducing them to the trades
Finding those gems, findingthose gems, and we have the
staff person who go into remotecommunities, and so, yeah, we're
really proud of our Manitobaprograms.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
And quick shout out to the PAW in the northern areas
of Manitoba right now.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yes, very sad that are going through the forest
fires, so I hope everyone's safe.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
I hope all the the competitors families here are
doing all right and safe becausethat's scary out here out west
our forest fires are are nojokes so, yes, we, we wish them
all well, we're praying for them, that's right now for yourself.
You know, maria?
Um, actually I got a questionthat just popped off the top of
my head maria picella, is thatspanish?
What is?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
italian.
It's italian.
Oh, we got another italian here.
Okay, yes, yeah, so so I wasborn in Manitoba.
My parents came over from Italyin the late 50s.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, Cool, and now you're coming into skill.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
That's always, and I've met people over the years.
It can be from a variety ofdifferent areas.
A variety of different areas.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yes, I would never have known that I would be.
My fascination was alwayspolitics.
So, I'm actually a graduate of Uof M social work, but I didn't
spend too much time there.
I actually spent most of mytime in the political arena,
first provincially with the NDPgovernment in the mid to late
(04:40):
80s late 80s and loved that,loved the community building,
loved working with people, foundthat to be my passion.
Then I went off and stayed homewith my family and had children
and after that I found myselfback into the federal political
arena.
Anyways, all fun, fantastic,great people I worked with.
(05:02):
And then things changedpolitically and I found myself
looking for a new position andsomeone led me to skills.
They thought I had thetransferable skills to work with
skills and I haven't turnedback.
I haven't been anywhere thatlong.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
You're saying almost 20 years.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Next year is 20 years and I usually do two to four
year stints, so this has been mylongest stint and I'm loving
every minute.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
At this point, do you think you're ever going to get
away?
Speaker 2 (05:30):
I don't know.
I really.
I mean, I keep telling people Idon't know like.
I'm loving it.
I'm still enjoying it.
I love working with youngpeople.
I've seen the growth anddevelopment in our own province
when I first started almost 20years ago.
Well, 20 years ago we had theskills competition, which was
amazing and it's still goingstrong.
(05:51):
It was really well established.
We have a fabulous partner inRed River College.
They're an amazing.
All our colleges are amazing,but they're our premier partner.
Very, uh, very ambitious collegevery ambitious college and
we've been working with them andthey've been hosting our event
for over 27 years.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
So without them we wouldn't be as good as we are.
So, uh, and a kudos to theirother colleges MITT and.
Assiniboine community collegeand university college of the
North as well, because they'rehuge partners as well.
But so our expansion has beendue to the great partnerships.
I mean, we were a small staff.
We're eight staff.
(06:32):
When I first started there wasthree of us, so over the years
we've been able to develop eightto nine strong and solid staff
and who are active every day.
We're all across the province.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
We work in.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Thompson the province .
Yeah, we work in Thompson thePAW, I mean, you name it.
We're there and we're strong inrural Manitoba as well as
Winnipeg.
Our tri-trade events arefabulous.
Very well attended Very wellattended and some of our most
popular, other than thecompetition.
We're 500 competitors strong.
We've always maintained thatstrength, I have to say, for the
(07:06):
last 27 years and I think we'regetting stronger and I I see
the increase in participationover the years um and our young
women's conferences.
We're really proud of them wehave, uh, over 10 of them across
the province.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
they're're very popular and, yes, so, and we're
seeing it, and that's not justlike a big push now.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
It's a need, it's a necessity, it's a necessity, and
I remember it's hard to getstatistics.
As you know, there's a lot ofprivacy issues right.
We're not allowed to find outwhat kids do and how they where
they move on to, but anecdotally, we've been told by colleges
that they do see an increase inwomen going into the trades.
And we'd like to take somecredit for that for introducing
(07:51):
the young women.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
We just went and introduced the welders this
morning as part of our yearlyritual.
We always talk to the weldersin the morning, kind of pump
them up, and we saw five womenin the women for welding, which
was the most.
We commented this is the mostwomen we've seen come to the
provincial competition ornational competition and that's
good but still not enough.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Not enough, not enough.
We've got to keep working at it.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Now for yourself to come into the role of ED for
skills.
There's kind of a couple waysthat you either have a really
good trades background or you'rereally good at managing people,
because so much of this job isreally connections, community
being out there.
Now your political backgroundlines up with that perfectly and
that's why I was hired.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
It was for that and I have to say again, with the
strength of my amazing staff, itis a strength.
And so we've been able to buildreally strong.
When we first started, I had Ithink I'm going to say maybe
three, four or five sponsors.
We're probably close to ahundred sponsors.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Good.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
So we're very well respected.
We have good, goodrelationships with our people
and they like what we do.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
And uh, we, we like to think that, uh, you know, we
sort of produce what peopleexpect and the staff are very
passionate and committed, eachand every one of them, and uh,
so I'm really proud of them.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
How's the relationship with apprenticeship
in Manitoba?
Because I think nationallyManitoba sometimes gets looked
at as a lower apprenticeshipprovince.
It's got lower numbers of RedSeals coming out of it.
It's got a less number ofavailable Red Seal programs.
But you know, you're on theinside, you work with trades
every day.
You know how do you see thatrelationship building?
Speaker 2 (09:34):
side.
You work with the trades everyday.
You know how do you see thatrelationship building.
Well, I have to say, withskills, manitoba um, we have a
great relationship with, withapprenticeship.
We're really proud of it.
Uh, we had a lesser uhrelationship 20 years ago but
over the last 20 years it'sreally built an increase where
we have a really good sort of wework together a lot, we do a
(09:54):
lot of programs together andthey do support what we're doing
.
They have us, we do ourin-school program and they
actually have us deliver it ontheir behalf.
So they really do support usand we actually do two events
for them the awards ofdistinction and highest
achievement awards.
They've designated anddelegated those events that are
their events for us to organize.
(10:16):
So I think that shows themutual respect and we really do
appreciate them.
And there's been a lot ofchange in apprenticeship, as
there is in every province but Ithink it's getting stronger and
stronger.
And Skills Manitoba has anamazing relationship with them.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
It does Good.
Now what about the students inthe colleges, these programs
that are coming up?
We have a chapter, so we havechapters across Canada.
As an association, we have astrong chapter in Winnipeg and
many of our chapter members areat MIT Red.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
River College.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
They're all teachers, instructors, even that very
large high school program.
There's a welding high school.
Oh, I don't remember right nowTechVoc.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Yeah, toby works there.
Toby works there yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
And uh, toby's our chair in in in Manitoba.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Toby's amazing.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
That's right so these relationships and Toby was
going to be here but he actuallylet someone else come because
he's like you know, I've been toa hundred of and that
relationship, that communitybuilding, is exactly why the CWB
works with skills.
Yes, right, because we kind oflive in the same realm.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yes, and you've supported a lot of our camps
over the years in which we'vereally appreciated and Toby's
worked with you on camps on ourbehalf for the summer, as well
as in Northern Manitoba.
So we've always appreciatedNate and Welding Bureau because
they've been there for us.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Now let's talk about the competitors.
Yes, appreciated native weldingbureau, because they've been
there for us.
Now let's talk about thecompetitors.
Yeah, 62 competitors here.
Which are the?
How many of those are coming in?
Gold medalists, like?
How many of?
Speaker 2 (11:40):
these are.
It's a world's year, right,it's a world's year, yeah, so
it's uh.
Well, we, we uh try to makesure we have a lot that are age
eligible for worlds because youknow there's an age restriction
of under 22, I believe yeah anduh yeah, so they're all gold
medalists in Manitoba.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
So they're hoping to become national.
Any other second term though,because there is a two-year
cycle.
I think there is a couple ofthem, yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
I don't know precisely which ones, but there
are a couple of them and yeah,so Manitoba usually does okay.
We usually, I would say weusually get about one to two
Team.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Canada Team.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Canada we usually get about one to two Team.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Canada Team Canada yeah, which is great.
Yeah, absolutely, and so I'vebeen fortunate to go to all of
them, which are the strongerones, which are the ones where
it's always, like you alwaysknow, manitou's going to take
that one.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Well, we're usually strong in the construction
trades.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Good.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Rickling has always been a strength of ours.
Those are sort of the areasthat are ours.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
And do you get to go to Worlds?
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Yes, I do I mean I've been to all of them.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Yeah, yes, I don't get to go to all of them.
I got to go to them when Iworked with Skills Right, but
now that I'm at CWB, I'm tryingmy hardest to get them to.
Let me go to China.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I want to go to Shanghai.
So bad, That'd be so cool Chinayes.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Now what have you learned?
Because you are preachingskills, you're preaching the
essential trades, you'repreaching about the involvement.
You don't come from thebackground, but you obviously
see what it does to the youth.
You see what it does in oursociety in terms of the fabric
of our infrastructure.
What has skills taught you?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Well over the years.
I have to tell you that when Ifirst started there was a sort
of a reluctancy from the schoolsto let us in there to do our
programs because, well, ofcourse they're promoting
university, and so it was a bitof a struggle for us to build up
(13:35):
our connections and and ourrelationships with the Manitoba
schools.
Now they come to us.
They come to us wanting andneeding information to provide
kids with opportunities in thetrade.
So I think that more and morepeople are looking at them as
fabulous careers.
Parents too.
They know that kids can make areally good living.
They can own their business oneday.
So it's, I think, more and more.
I know in my circle of friendsthat even they themselves, who
(13:57):
have gone to university,encourage their own kids to take
a second look at the trades.
So I think mindsets are beingchanged.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Are moving.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
And I think Skills Canada, national Skills Canada,
across the country has been abig, big provided, a
contribution in that too.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
I think we've been just glamorizing a bit.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
We have, and I think we sometimes take that for
granted and we're so humble asan organization, nationally and
provincially, but I think weneed to take some of that credit
because, we have made it reallyexciting and sexy and, wow,
it's great to be involved inskills and, as you saw at the
opening last night, all thoseyoung people on stage.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Who at?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
one time never thought they would ever be able
to do something like that andare so proud of themselves.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
I love that because I know both of them very well
Leah and oh my gosh, I forgothis name.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Oh, the MCs that I don't know.
I know Emma, one of my alumniwas up there and she was amazing
.
Emma, one of my alumni was upthere and she was amazing, I'm
so proud of her.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
I remember seeing them over the years sky reserved
, nervous, and you still see thenerves, but it doesn't stop
them now.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
It doesn't stop them now.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
They just know that they can do it.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Yes, that confidence building, it's total confidence
builder.
Yeah, this event is amazing.
They've produced a lot ofsuperstars.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Now over 20 years.
You've probably seen a lot ofpeople go through the cycle of
skills.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yes, right.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
And I talk about that all the time is that you know
you kind of dip a finger in theskills, you're getting pulled
into the swimming pool and youmight never get out.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Oh, absolutely.
We have competitors.
That started out, let's say,even before I came on who are
now instructors at the college.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yeah, who are promoting skills to?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
their students.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
So it's full circle A lot of them stay involved with
skills.
They become volunteers, they goto the college, they start
becoming teachers.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Mentors, mentors, absolutely yeah.
Now, in the 20 years thatyou've been with this because I
love that you've been there solong, because it gives me a
different perspective what aresome of the obstacles that
you've seen be like?
Really disheartening, becauseit's not all ups, there's gonna
have been some times when you'relike you know funding gets cut
here or something happens there.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
You know well we've had a lot of anxious moments
yeah uh, over the years, fundingwas probably one of the biggest
, uh, anxious, moments, I think,as we were building our
sponsorship, our corporatesponsorship, and knowing that,
um, it would be so helpful toexpand our programs, which we
(16:27):
very much wanted to do yeah that, um, you know, in the earlier
years it took a bit of timeuntil people felt, okay, we like
what you do.
So it took a while to proveyourself to prove ourselves
Right and so we.
Those were hard years and thenthere were some times where some
of the provincial and federalfunding it wasn't always so
secure because it never is.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
No, in Saskatchewan.
We had a collapse here.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
You know you have to continue to prove yourself and
make yourself relevant.
So I think you know sort ofrelevancy and maintaining
relevancy has been veryimportant as a provincial
organization and I think as afederal organization.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
So we've had some dips, ups and downs, but we've
yeah, it's a big turning wheel,it is Right.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
So you got to get through those low points to get
back up on the high.
The sponsorship part's huge.
It is no-transcript, you knowother form of supplementing.
The resources is huge, it'shuge, it's huge.
And if you can get a couple bigsponsors, that's great.
(17:30):
But everyone's chasing the bigwhales and one of the things
that we've learned at the CWB interms of our connections and, I
think, skills, is what they'redoing it.
Amazing now is that they're notjust looking for the big whales
, like, yes, if we can get amillion-dollar donation, of
course, who's going to say no toa million dollars?
But if you can get, you know, ahundred smaller local companies
(17:52):
to invest and be involved, thatgrassroots you know of
involvement, that's sustainable.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Absolutely.
And you know what.
That's what we're proud of inManitoba, because the majority
of my funders are smallgrassroots.
And you know what.
That's what we're proud of inManitoba, because the majority
of my funders are smallgrassroots.
And we built from there andthey're still staying with us.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
And I'm so proud of that.
Well, they hire the kids.
They literally see it as aninvestment into their own
workforce.
They do, they do, yeah.
So for you coming here toRegina, what have you thought
about this?
Skills now, it's only day one.
It's only day one so I haven'tseen.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
You're the first person I saw.
Uh, it's an amazing venue yes,this venue is huge huge, so
we're definitely going to getour steps in today yeah so I'm
very much looking forward to it.
I love.
My favorites are cooking,baking and landscape yeah, I see
a connection there.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
I see a connection there.
I mean landscaping, is you'regoing to sit in your garden and
eat all the stuff?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Yes, yes, exactly, exactly.
That's exactly me, yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Yeah, Now do you have children?
Yes, I have two boys Now arethey in the trades at all?
No, they're not.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
They're engineers.
Well, that's still tradeadjacent.
That's kind of connected.
Absolutely, yeah, tradeadjacent.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
That's a good one.
Skills, because one of thethings that we're seeing in the
trades not just in welding butin many of the other trades is
the retention issue.
Like we've done a great job ofbringing kids in, we're doing a
great job of having people showup, sign up and even compete,
but not even the, the, thecompetitors here, in five years
are guaranteed to even be doingthis anymore, which breaks my
heart, yeah when it's like.
It's like, you know.
You see that kid coming upthrough hockey who's an all-star
and he breaks his knee andthat's the end of his career.
It's just like oh you know.
So how do we maintain thatretention piece with all these
(19:34):
competitors?
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Well, I think we encourage sort of continual
education, and I think sometimestoo the transferable skills are
important.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Because maybe sometimes you know a particular
trade that they train for isn'tactually where you know where
they're going to end up and andactually they, uh, it's
important to realize that someof those skills can be
transferred to another tradevery easily, and we see some of
that happening too Well that'sone of the things I was going to
bring up.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
That's where I was going is engineering.
Yes, a lot of parents talkabout wanting their kids to be
engineers.
When I go to high schools, Ihear a lot of kids engineering,
engineering, engineering.
But engineering is vast andwide, vast and wide and right
now in canada, in alberta,ontario and in the maritimes,
there are programs that godirectly from welding into
(20:21):
engineering, so they're calledwet programs welding engineering
technicians right, so you canget your welding, your
inspectors, and then, when youdecide to go to university
directly from welding intoengineering, so they're called
WET programs Welding EngineeringTechnicians Right, so you can
get your welding, yourinspectors and then, when you
decide to go to university, whenyou are debt-free with money in
your pocket, you're alreadycomfortable.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
And I think those make the best engineers.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
That's right, because you're not struggling and this
is what I've been trying to tellso much of this youth in terms
of retention, Like you know what, Maybe you won't be a welder in
five years, but get yourjourney person, get your make
money and build from there,Build from there, and they're
the most.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
I remember some, I think.
One of my sons said to me therewas a couple of those students
in school and they're actuallythe most successful ones because
they grasp some of the thingsat a level that others don't,
because they've seen it andthey've had more of that
hands-on experience.
So that's what I meanTransferable skills are
important.
I think that, starting in thetrades, you may not stay there.
(21:11):
You may build a business or youmay transfer to a different
trade or profession.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
What skills you know you got the essential skills.
What skills have you had tolearn moving into this position,
working with skilledtradespeople?
Speaker 2 (21:25):
skills have you had to learn moving into this
position, working with skilledtrades people what skill, oh,
you're stumping me now trying to.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Oh, you've been really good at all these okay.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Well, I think you actually have stumped me.
What skill have I learned that?
Can you help me out here?
Speaker 1 (21:42):
yeah, like so.
For example, when I came intobeing executive director to cwb,
I come from a trades backgroundwelding background, right so I
was lacking the ability tocommunicate as well as I thought
I could, and I've learnedthrough this road how to
communicate better because I'vehad to communicate to so many
different trades right, okay.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
So I kind of prided myself on communication so I saw
that as one of my strengths.
But now you've just triggeredsomething.
I felt really insecure aroundthe as a lay person, I didn't
have the language the tradelanguage and terminology.
So we work with professionaltechnical committee members that
put together a competition andthey throw around labels and
(22:24):
names that I'm like and acronyms, and I'm like what are they
talking about?
And they think I'm supposed toknow this, and so that has been
sort of an insecure spot for menot understanding the trade talk
.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Yeah, and there's always a hump right.
There's always a learning curveto any job, right?
Speaker 2 (22:41):
So now I'm more confident to say what does that
mean?
Speaker 1 (22:45):
yeah, back up.
What does a, o, a, f, f, e, amean, or whatever it is?
Yeah, yeah, now what would benext on your plate?
This seems like the dream job.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
It is a dream job I I never thought I would stay here
this long.
I thought I'd be, you know,doing something else, but I love
it very much.
No, I have.
I have no other plans.
I mean, the next plan would beto maybe travel for a permanent
new gig.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Get on the World Skills Committee yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Well, that would be nice, but I love my job.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
And.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I plan to stick around a few more years before I
retire.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
That's amazing.
Now you said your favoriteskills here are baking, cooking
and landscaping yes, they are.
Now, if you could choose onefor a new career, which one
would you choose?
I'm talking like going rightback to school, like right to
apprenticeship level one cookingand and landscape is right
behind, yeah, very close behind,yeah, their passions yeah.
(23:40):
And then do you think that youcould you handle it?
I think, oh, yeah, I couldcooking.
Looks cutthroat, man.
It does look cutthroat, I thinkyeah.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
I think I could.
But landscaping, I think, hasbecome a passion over the years,
I think the older you get.
Never thought I would be.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Yeah, I know I'm putting in some new cement pads
in my backyard next week.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
It's just so relaxing and therapeutic just love it.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Yeah, building your little yes in the world, and I
mean that's what the tradesbrings to people, is the
connection to, to the earth tonature, to your surroundings.
We are infrastructure, we arefood, we are clothing, we are
the things that help us survivewe don't exist in the
theoretical right exactly, we'revery concrete hands-on, we can
touch it yeah, now are you goingto get around to look at any of
(24:28):
the shows?
Speaker 2 (24:28):
yes, I'm looking forward to it.
That's what I'm going to dowhen I finish with you yeah, are
you going to get time?
I never get time to do the fullwalk oh no, I do the full walk
many times a day.
Yeah, you know we have littlemeetings here and there with
staff and with national staff,but right now I'm looking
forward to just hitting thehitting the walking trail here
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Yeah, well, this has been fantastic.
I just want to ask you one morequestion before.
I let you go here is in termsof advice.
When you see all thesedifferent groups coming in, all
these different kids, differenttrades, you know, and we talked
about their nerves and theconfidence building, what, what
advice could you give to themwith your experience now to say
you know, this is what you needto do, to get ahead or to do
well.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
I would say persevere , stick to it and don't give up.
That's served.
I think it served me well.
It serves everybody well.
Don't ever give up and justpersevere, keep going and don't
stop.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Awesome.
Well, thank you so much, maria,it's been fantastic.
I hope you have a wonderfulshow.
Good luck to your competitorshere from manitoba.
I hope they do well.
I am from team saskatchewan.
I am a little bit biased but Ialso love manitoba.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Okay, thank you so much.
Thank you so much okay bye-byewe hope you enjoy the show.
Bye.
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