August 11, 2025 • 48 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!
Discover the hidden powerhouse of skills development on Canada's smallest province with Tawna MacLeod, Executive Director of Skills Canada PEI for 16 years, shares the remarkable transformation that has seen provincial competition participation grow from 68 to 320 competitors across 35 different trades and technology areas. Tawna's journey began unexpectedly in 2009 when she stepped in as interim director just months before PEI hosted nationals. What started as a temporary position became a lifelong passion fueled by the incredible young people she's worked with. "It's the kids," she explains, reflecting on what keeps her motivated through the challenges of running a non-profit organization where she wears "14 different hats" daily.
Website: https://skillscanada.pe.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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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 this special series
(00:27):
of the CWB Association podcast.
What's so special about it isthat we have been interviewing
the executive directors from allthe different provinces and
territories across Canada forthe Skills National Competencies
competition in Regina,saskatchewan.
Now we did as many as we couldin person live on the floor, but
(00:47):
, tawny, we couldn't get you in,so we got you here online,
coming in to us from PEI, whereI hear it's a heat wave.
Happy to have you here, tawnyMcLeod.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Thanks so much for having me, Max.
I was super bummed not to beable to join you guys when we
were in Regina, but sometimeswith those teams, boy, you just
never know how your day's goingto play out.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Well, I heard there was, you know, a little fires
and things going on all the time, and that's expected.
How was your overall impressionof the Regina skills?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Overall, it was a great competition.
It was a great competition.
It was a great venue.
The volunteers all ourvolunteers really enjoyed having
the space that we had in Regina.
We had some great localvolunteers from the city of
Regina.
My competitors themselves had areally fabulous event and
(01:44):
really great things to say aboutit.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
That's awesome.
Now for yourself.
Before we get into the bonesand the broth here of what
skills is like for PEI, you know, at the national level, let's
talk a little bit first aboutyour track and pathway into the
executive director position.
You know I've worked withskills for almost 20 years
(02:07):
myself in some capacity oranother, and I've always loved
the stories of all the peoplethat get involved because they
come from everywhere.
So let's start with whereyou're from.
What's your roots?
Where are you born?
Where do you call home?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Born and raised on PEI.
Born and raised and have neverleft.
So this has been home for well.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I'm not going to tell you my age, max, but quite a
number of years, at least 25years, at least 25 years, and
you know growing up in PEI, wasthere much focus in your young
life about skills and the tradesand all this, all this
conversation that we're a partof now?
Speaker 2 (02:47):
oh god, no, um, I went to school I don't even
think, max in my high schoolthat we had, like we had, an
industrial arts program butthere was no specific focus on
anything like welding orcarpentry or any of the typical
trades.
And it wasn't actually until Istarted working with our local
(03:14):
community college way back in1998.
And you may remember this, max,the college built a welding
school down in Georgetown,prince Edward Island, back in
1998.
And I started working withthose programs at that time.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
And in what capacity?
What was your role back then?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
I was managing programs, working as an office
manager, so I was doing a littlebit of everything.
At one point I was writing Iwrote curriculum for our
commercial diving.
I was writing, I wrotecurriculum for our commercial
diving, underwater weldingcommercial diving program.
So I did a little bit ofeverything for about 10 years
(03:52):
down there.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
That's amazing.
And how did you get into thatsphere of the trades?
You know, were you like?
What was it that you went tocollege to study and do?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Well, I went to college to study and do um.
Well, I um went to college, Ihave a business bachelor,
business degree, um, and reallysort of just fell into it max,
like I didn't go out thinking,okay, I want to do abc.
It was, you know, um, I wasreally young, one of my first
(04:24):
jobs fresh out of universitycollege, and it was in 98, 99
that PEI first started doingprovincial competitions, and
welding was one of the firstcompetitions that we did, way
back when that we did way backwhen.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
It's interesting because I've heard that story in
a few provinces now thatwelding is kind of the first
like introductory competitionfor the national or even
provincial levels, which is, youknow, strange to hear because
it's probably one of the mostexpensive to get into when you
think of all the other ones itis and it's one of our most
expensive competitions to runfor sure.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
So yeah, I'm not sure .
I'm not sure why the provincesfocused on that initially, like
I think our first year that weand I was working with the
college at the time back in 98,but I think in 98, skills Canada
PEI may have hosted fourcompetitions that year, and
welding, of course, being one ofthem.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
That's amazing and the growth now is is incredible.
So, before we get ahead ofourselves, so you start helping
out with the college, you know,you start getting uh, you know
involved with the trades.
Um, I believe in that area,holland college was likely where
you know, you're, you'reworking, and now that's not.
(05:44):
All colleges get involved withskills but some do no.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Right no.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
So what opened your eyes to this world of skills
when you were working with thecollege?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Well, I have a bit of a different road path to skills
In 2009,.
PEI hosted the nationalcompetition first and only time
that they've hosted, and theexecutive director at that time
went out on sick leave suddenly,very suddenly, and so in
(06:16):
January of that year I wasworking with the college and the
board of directors of SkillsCanada.
Peibi came to me because theyknew I had been involved in the
welding and some of the tradesprograms in georgetown and asked
if I would step in as a interimexecutive director, host
provincials for 2009 and helppull off that national event in
(06:39):
may of 2009.
That's a pretty short trial byfire yeah, that's a short runway
.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
That's a short runway to get the plane off the ground
yeah, yeah, so I did it.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
I'm not I'm not sure yet how I did it.
I couldn't tell you how I didit, but I did it and uh, they
actually they still some of thevolunteers still talk about the
event that we hosted back herein PEI way back when.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
So yeah, so so the trial by fire for the interim
position, which obviously becamethe forever position you know,
um, after that first year ofgetting involved, what was it
that kept you in?
Speaker 2 (07:21):
um, what was it that kept me in?
Really, it was the kids yeah um, it was the students, it was
the uniqueness of theopportunity that the skills
competitions gives to theseyoung people.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
That's what kept me in it and you know, you see kind
of the best of the best fromevery area right, and it's
really wonderful.
You know, one of the anecdotalthings I always find is that
when you work with people thatdon't work with kids, there's a
lot of doom and gloom.
They're always like thefuture's going to be disaster.
(08:00):
These kids are no good.
This generation doesn't knowhow to work.
This generation can't doanything on their own.
But let me tell you, I work onthe other side.
You know, I taught in thecolleges for a number of years
and with skills now a long time,and they give me a lot of hope.
These kids.
I see a lot of bright futuresand really great talents.
And you know you, yeah, thesenational competitions, even
(08:24):
provincially.
How can you give up on theyouth when you have a room of?
Speaker 2 (08:29):
just incredibly ambitious Superstars, superstars
, exactly.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
At every trade, it's nothing.
Every time I come away from askills competition I'm like
we're fine.
If anything, they're going todo all of this way better than
we did, because all the problemsin the world right now it's us.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
it's us like we got to get out of the way exactly
yeah, and, like you said, we'redealing with kids that are
really committed to what they'redoing and, whether that's
welding or carpentry or whateverit may be, they're committed to
being the best of the best.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah, and for the right reasons, you know.
Yeah, they're not necessarilyin it for the money I mean.
That always comes around.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Money helps.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
It helps, but at that point in their lives.
I feel like they're in it forthe competition for that
personal growth right.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Now you started off as ED.
How long ago was your?
When was your first year as ED?
2009?
.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
So 2009.
So yeah, I've been 16 years 16years.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
So in those 16 years how has the PEI environment
changed?
With skills you know?
How much has it grown.
How much more involved is it?
How many more you know areas doyou guys compete in?
Speaker 2 (09:48):
um, okay, well, let me think back in 2009.
Uh, provincially, we had, Ithink, 68 provincial competitors
that year in 20 differentcompetition categories.
Okay, then, the national teamthat year had 18 students on it
(10:11):
okay um this past competitioncycle.
Our team we had 36 kids on.
Our national team, we had 320kids compete provincially, wow,
wow, and we competed in 35different competition areas.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Now, that's just amazing, that's amazing, it is
amazing growth and it's not justPEI Like.
I mean New Brunswick, novaScotia, newfoundland.
You guys are all killing it outthere in the trades.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
We're kind of rock stars.
Kind of rock stars it is.
I was out there for AtlanticSkills in.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
New.
We're kind of rock stars.
Kind of rock stars?
No, it is, and I was out therefor atlantic skills in new
brunswick, uh, a couple monthsago, um, and of course, we
hosted in monkton our conferencetwo years ago.
And let me tell you and there'ssomething I touched with with a
couple other of the podcasts,because I'm from saskatchewan, I
grew up in saskatchewan, it'smy province, and out here in the
West, there was always thiskind of mentality of the
(11:07):
Easterners come to us for thework, the Easterners come to us
for the money.
We're the hub of where it is ifyou're in the trades, but I
feel like, especially going outEast, spending time with
tradespeople out there, thatthat dialogue has changed and
that they're not thinking aboutleaving, no more.
It's about what's in ourbackyard to do.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Yeah, you're absolutely right, and I see it
even coming from the college,when these students would
graduate from the plumbingprogram, the welding program,
and that was, you know, the topof mind I'm going to graduate,
I'm going to write my firstblock and then I'm getting the
heck out of here and head westyeah um, but yeah, it's not the
(11:54):
case anymore.
That's they.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
More and more of these young people are sticking
around home, which is greatabsolutely it's wonderful well,
there's people out here in thewest now they're like, hey,
maybe we should go out east.
You know, the cost of livingisn't quite as high as it's gone
out here and there's lots ofwork you know, you see companies
like irving that you know, likeIrving, that if you're outside
of the Maritimes, you don'treally know what Irving is until
(12:19):
you go, because they got a hugefootprint.
It's not just shipbuilding,it's everything right.
You got other companies outthere that are just taking off
right now.
Mining's coming back like it'snever been before.
I think it's all just goldstars out there right now.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Yeah, it looks bright .
I'm excited about things thatwill happen over the next 10
years.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Now, in terms of your skills group, you know you've
doubled in size for the amountof competitors and stuff.
What about on the internal side?
You know, as a director foryour skills province, you know,
have you increased double thenumber of staff?
Oh gosh, that's a sillyquestion Mark.
(13:05):
How are you guys doing all thisamazing work, Like how many of
you are there in the office?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
There's me and I have a program director that works
75% with time with me, but I100% credit our growth and our
success to the volunteers thatwe have.
Yeah, I have an incredibleroster of volunteers who put a
(13:32):
lot of blood, sweat and tearsinto pulling off provincial
events and are committed tosharing their knowledge and
their skills with young people.
So it's 100% the volunteers.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
And are you noticing with the volunteers that sort of
cyclical effect that skillshave?
I mean we all joke about skillsis like the mafia Once you're
in you can't get out.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Once you're in, you're in, you don't leave.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Leave, that's right and do you find that your
volunteers are in that boat,that they may have been past
competitors or mentors orwhatever it may be?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
oh yeah, I would say so.
Um, we have provincial techchairs for all our competition
areas.
So I would say, out of those 40chairs um, 90 of them have been
former competitors yeah and youknow it's one of those tough
things you you'd like to bringin new blood, but you really
(14:25):
want to hang on to those onesthat you know they can pull off
these competitions with theireyes closed and their hands tied
behind their back right that'sright.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Yeah, I just heard someone say to me, like you
don't want to turn away a steak,but you never throw out the
beef jerky.
You know it's a perfect analogy.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
It's perfect Like we're all looking for that nice
fresh steak.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
But you know, beef jerky goes a long way.
So yeah now, absolutely true.
You see, the people people youknow get that love and that
commitment to the skills network.
You know we'll call it.
You know where they compete.
They mentor, then theyvolunteer, they become NTCs,
ptcs.
You know, they, they, they gothrough this whole journey
(15:10):
within skills.
What is, what is it that youthink that brings them back?
What is it that special saucethat makes the people want to
stay and be a part of this,because it can be?
a lot of work it can be a lot ofwork yeah it's a ton of work.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Um, I think, nationally it's a couple of
things.
It's the excitement of thatnational competition right.
Just the event itself.
It's the networking that beinga volunteer, a national
volunteer, gives these PTCs andNTCs, national Technical Chair
(15:54):
Committees, like the opportunityyou know to spend a week with
their peers from across Canadadoing the thing that they love
doing, right, even though it isdoing it 14 hour days without
pay on a volunteer basis.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yeah, well, at least you get sandwiches for free.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Free sandwiches, free sandwiches.
It may or may not be a goodsandwich, but it's at least you
get sandwiches for free.
Free sandwiches, freesandwiches.
It may or may not be a goodsandwich but it's free at least.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
And you know it's so interesting to me watching that
networking piece of it.
Like I mean there's a reasonthe CWB group decided to become
Silver Sponsors to Skills.
The CWB group decided to becomesilver sponsors to skills and
it wasn't just to like givemoney to another organization.
That's like minded becausewe're kind of in the same boat
for a lot of things when itcomes to the steel trades.
(16:43):
But it's more about our membersare also your members.
So why are we not playing inthe same sandbox?
You know, so many of my chapterchairs and chapter volunteers
across canada are the samevolunteers that are working with
skills and are working withmentors and I was like, why am I
(17:04):
making them choose between twoevents?
Why don't we just attend thesame one?
You know what I mean, becauseit is that desire to, you know,
just hang out with the otherpeople in your profession that
are also at the kind of the topof their game and their
community and and just bouncethings off the wall with each
other.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
You know, Absolutely Learn, you know what they're
doing in Regina and what they'redoing in Newfoundland and all
of those things.
It's a very unique opportunityfor volunteers and companies
like the CWB.
If you've been around skills,you've seen how the partnerships
have grown with the nationalevent over the last 10, 15 years
(17:47):
and organizations are realizingthat this event, in its
uniqueness, is one of a kind andsomething really that they'd be
foolish not to take advantageof well it's by being part of it
it's.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
It's like the olympics, but better, because
everyone's employable right likeI love the olympics and you
know, you know god bless thefastest swimmer in the world,
but I don't know how that helpsme.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Yeah Right, you're not.
You're not getting a paycheckfor being the fastest swimmer in
the world.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
That's right, and I and I can't hire anyone from the
Olympics unless I want someoneto run messages for me real fast
or something.
But the Olympics of trades issuch a no brainer Like.
I don't understand why everyyou know michelin level, you
know restaurant, isn't attendingall the top welding shops.
Should be attending all the topautomotive construction, like
(18:44):
all the 82 trades or whatever.
Are there the who's who ofcompanies should be there,
because this is your future,right in front of you.
Yeah, like these kids, as soonas the competition's over, you
should be walking up to them,offering them a job, which I
know kind of happens on its own.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
It does happen, um, but I I've always liked to say
that the skills canada nationalcompetition, specifically, is
one of the best kept secrets incanada really, and you don't
know until you know.
That's right, like I, can sithere and talk about it until I'm
blue in the face, but until yousee that event and feel that
(19:21):
energy on the competition floor,yeah, that's when you get
hooked.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Yeah, and you're in it for life.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
You're in it for life .
Speaker 1 (19:31):
And you know I didn't know much about skills until I
became a college professor andthen we got the opportunity to
work with skills to get a kid in.
You know, luckily enough, I wasthere the year of 2019.
I got to go to WorldSkills inKazan with our welder and the
whole process, you know theregional skills, then the
provincials, and then thenational, and then nationals
(19:53):
again because it was an off yearyear, so we had to go again for
the second year, for thequalifying year to go to to
russia, and then and then worldskills.
Oh my goodness, I thought I'dseen it all.
Let me yeah, that's somethingelse, that's and you know I mean
national, canadian, nationalskills is enough to make you
giddy for the rest of the year.
You know it's enough to leaveyou inspired, like I always say
(20:15):
to my friends, like I don't knowhow you leave a skills
competition without a heart fullof inspiration, like you're
just ready for the next year ofwhatever.
But then going to worlds andrealizing that the whole world
you got welders that don't evenspeak the same language, but,
they're making best friends fromother countries.
And you see countries that havebillions of dollars to invest in
(20:36):
their students.
And then you have thesecountries where you know these
poor kids are practicing in theback of their, you know, church
kitchen for cooking yeah, thedonated kitchen from the church
to cook.
But there they are on the worldstage and, oh my god, I'm
getting the tingles justthinking about it.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
You know it's remarkable, and I mean it's it's
the same here in in canada aswell.
You you have provinces likeontario and alberta, who are
huge provinces huge um and like.
I think ontario has somethinglike 314 high schools.
We have 12 here on pei.
(21:12):
We have 12 high schools have 12here on PEI, we have 12 high
schools.
So you get that on the nationallevel, but it's very, very
obvious at the internationallevel for sure.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
So going back to that national level, you know every
province kind of has their stickthat they know, like, like,
when you talk to yourcompetitors you're like this
one's usually ours, let's get itagain.
What are the ones that pei haskind of been known for to win?
Speaker 2 (21:41):
oh god um.
We usually do pretty good in umthe it competitions okay, yeah
so 3d gamer?
Um, we usually manage to pull agold home with that one nice uh
, photography is another onethat we usually do pretty good
at.
Uh, it's it's so hard to saythat it's funny because when I I
(22:07):
have the chaperones and peoplethat travel with the team and
they always ask that questionbefore the closing ceremonies
you know, which ones do youthink we're going to get?
and it's like after 16 years youdon't know I, I, I have learned
that it's impossible to guessit really is you know, you have
kids that go in there andthey're sure that they're going
(22:28):
to be on the podium and they'renot.
And then you have other kidswho they thought the competition
floor on day two and they'vegot their head hung and they're
convinced that they justcompletely bombed, and the next
thing you know they're beingcalled up on stage to get a
medal.
So it's impossible to tell, forme anyway.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Well, and you know I've been, I've been a judge a
couple of times, and it doesn'tseparate, like there's not lots
that separates one from fourthor second from ninth.
You know, like you're talkingdecimals, you're talking I mean
it's the best of the best.
It's like even the worst car atnascar is faster than the one I
got in the garage right like Imean it's uh, it's amazing the
(23:08):
the level that they've allworked themselves up to right
now.
In your experience in 16 years,how do you feel the national
competition has evolved?
Speaker 2 (23:19):
oh, wow, it's become a beast for sure.
The quality of the competitions, I think, has really improved.
You know, the national officehas implemented a few different
things, like a CIS, which hasreally leveled the playing field
with regard to judging thecompetitions.
(23:42):
You know, they're all using thesame system.
Yeah, the, yeah it's, it's.
It's just gotten so big.
It's just gotten so large.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Well, and it's opened up other platforms.
You got the skills for Successplatforms.
Now You're looking at othersectors of the industry like
Indigenous groups.
When we were out at AtlanticSkills, they had Indigenous
Beating as one of thecompetitions.
I just love the diversity thatit's bringing.
(24:18):
diversity that it's bringingbecause one of the things that
the trades has been, I guess, umput itself in a corner for the
last 50 years is not being veryopen to women, immigrants,
people of color, and you know,and it has, and I've worked in
this industry, it is true, it istrue and we're trying to
correct that now and I thinkthat companies like skills,
organizations like skills, areopening it up to be much more
(24:39):
diverse with the kids, whichmeans it's going to be a much
more diverse workforce in thefuture, right absolutely well I
I can tell you even this yearour um post-secondary welding
competition.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
This year we had 12 students in it um and eight of
them were female amazing.
I love that yeah, I've beenwaiting for an all-female podium
yeah, well, for the last threeyears, two of our three
medalists at the provinciallevel have been female that's
amazing.
Very, very proud of that it'scoming, it's, it's opening, it's
(25:13):
you know we're getting better.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
We are getting better .
Speaker 1 (25:16):
And if we can do it with the youth, especially the
ambitious youth, like skills,they're going to make waves.
They're not going to go outthere and just put their head
down and be like, oh okay, no,they're going to expect more.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Absolutely.
I agree 100%.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Now, what about, in terms of you know, the students,
the delegates that you took out?
You took out all these students.
I'm sure there was somechaperones plus your staff.
How many of them had never leftthe Maritimes?
How many of them was like theirfirst trip out?
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Well, it's something else that comes into play is the
kids that we're seeing now ingrade 10, 11, 12, and the
college kids that we're seeingnow.
These are all what we like tocall COVID kids right they spent
two and a half years of theireducation sitting in Zoom calls
like this.
So I think out of our 36 kidswe had on the team this year,
(26:13):
there were at least nine or 10of them that had never left the
island before yeah, how many doyou think had never been on a
plane?
Speaker 1 (26:21):
oh, I would say about half of them and then how many
had ever been past ontario?
Speaker 2 (26:26):
and then we, and then we fly them to reach out across
the country.
Like it's really quite anexperience for these young
people.
It really is good.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Well, what did you hear back like feedback from the
kids about?
You know the regina and thetrip and and the adventure,
let's call it um, actually funny.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
You asked that.
I got a card, an actualhandwritten card, believe it or
not, um, from one of the kids,one of the high school
competitors, last week in themail and he wrote thank you so
much for the experience.
It has changed my life and Iwill be back again next year.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
That's so awesome.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
It's incredible how many things can you do in this
world where you have that muchof an impact in a very short
period of time?
Speaker 1 (27:14):
That's true.
It's like within a few monthsreally you know, on a young
person.
Yeah, so no one's going to pryyou out of that chair for a
while.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
They'll be taking me out by the heels.
I'll be.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
You know I've been talking to people like I mean,
in Saskatchewan we had Al Gabertfor over 20 years and you know
and other provinces.
Through these interviews I'vebeen, you know, 26 years, 15
years, 10 years.
I love to see that.
And then I've seen a few newfaces around, which I also,
because you got to keep it freshtoo right.
You got some new, fresh eds andI I love the that they get it
(27:50):
already.
You know, like you said, itonly takes one go around and
then you're like, oh okay, I seethis is a big deal.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Yeah, and I often compare the whole competition
cycle because we usually holdcompetitions because we're a
small province, they're heldover a number of days rather
than one day like a lot of theother provinces do.
So the competition cycle,usually provincial, start the
(28:18):
end of March, first week ofApril.
Then we train the team fornationals.
Nationals is usually held theend of May.
So it's a lot of work congestedinto a very small period of
time.
And I joke with my friends I Isay it's like childbirth you
forget how painful it is untilyou're doing it again.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
But we keep doing it again every year now you know,
as, as an ed, sometimes youcan't even take a break when
you're at these competitions toenjoy the competition itself
because you're so busy.
But I've been asking every,every executive director the
same question and that is if youwere a spectator, you know, in
(29:04):
regina, what would be the topthree from you know the one, two
, three of what you would loveto, just if you didn't have to
work it and you say you justwere retired and had the whole
week off.
What would you like to watchfrom start to finish of a
competition?
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Top three um, I would have to say landscape design
every single year everyone haslandscape even the last 15
minutes of it on day two rightlike oh my god, you built this.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
It was a pile of dirt yesterday.
Where did this come from?
Speaker 2 (29:43):
yeah, and they move those last 15 minutes when that
timer starts.
So, yeah, that's an incredibleone to watch.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Um robotics okay not a lot of people pick robotics,
good yeah like if you knew.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
If you knew what went on behind the scenes for the
kids that designed and madethose robots on their own in a
high school class in a highschool like the skill and the
knowledge there is justmind-blowing and it's really
cool to watch.
Um, what would be the other onecooking?
Speaker 1 (30:20):
only because I'm a foodie yeah, that was baking and
cooking.
We're almost there yeah solandscaping and cooking were
like the top two for almosteveryone, which I found to be so
interesting because no onepicked welding.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Yeah Well, you can't see anything behind the curtains
and cooking.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
obviously, who doesn't like to eat?
And I mean, I still haven't hadthe pleasure of eating because
I'm always so busy working.
And I hear people say oh, didyou go get taste the whatever?
Speaker 2 (30:47):
It busy working and I hear people say, oh, did you go
get taste the whatever it'slike?
No, I never get to.
Yeah, you and me both.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Max, you and me both now in terms of you know
yourself and your skills.
You know, in 16 years we talkabout skills being this event
that helps own kids skills.
We have the essential skillsskills for change network, which
is about these.
You know what are the essentialskills you need to succeed in
life.
Now, in your experience withskills in 16 years, what skills
(31:14):
have you had to learn to do yourjob?
Speaker 2 (31:18):
oh, wow, um uh.
Well, when I started, I had noevent management background.
I had very minimal financialbackground, but I was a great
(31:40):
organizer and I think that iswhat made me successful and what
has allowed me to continue andum really believing in the
organization.
I think is if you didn'tbelieve, if you don't believe in
what you're doing, the workthat we do, because it's so like
(32:02):
I wear 14 hats in the last year.
Right, like I'm.
I'm HR, I'm the finance guy,I'm the travel agent, I'm doing
in-school presentations, I'mdragging a CWB simulator around
to events, like I do it all.
(32:22):
So you really, just you have tolearn to roll with the punches
and just go with the flow,really.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
That's such a big part of it, it's true, and and
it's hard teaching young peoplethat young people get I always
young people love to think thatthey're so flexible, but
mentally they're not.
They're very rigid, Right, andthey get very disappointed if
things don't go their way.
And it's like you, you gottalet that go, they do you gotta
let that go.
As you get older and as youstart wearing more hats in life,
you realize that there's verylittle you actually can control
(32:52):
on this earth.
Don't stress it.
Do what you can make with thebest of what you got right yep,
yep and I.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
That's what I tell the kids every, every year that
first morning of competition,because I just know that at
least half of them are going tofreeze up that first morning.
Their mind is going to go blank.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
They're going to completely forget what they're
supposed to be doing, eventhough they've been practicing
for three months.
So I always say to them justkeep going.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Yeah, you know if you forgot something if you did
something wrong.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
The important thing is to just keep going.
Yeah, you know, if you'veforgotten something, if you did
something wrong.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
The important thing is to just keep going.
Yeah, now this year, how didyour team do like?
I mean, this is you get theluxury of being the only podcast
.
That's after the results cameout everyone else everyone else
was still on the fence about howthey were doing, but let's
celebrate.
How did pei do?
What were the medals that wasbrought home?
What happened?
Speaker 2 (33:49):
What did we get this year?
We got 2D animation.
Our 2D animation, high schoolkids got a bronze.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Our post-secondary photography got bronze, we got a
silver in architecturaltechnology and yeah, those were
the three areas A bit below whatwe normally average about five,
six medals which is great for asmall province.
We all know on a qualifyingyear that Quebec and Alberta
(34:22):
bring out the big guns.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
Yeah, the big teams roll out.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Yeah, the big guns come out on a qualified year for
sure.
So pleased with it and everyone.
Everyone had a positiveexperience, and to me that is
don't get me wrong, I, I love tosee bring the hardware home max
um, but having the kids reallyhave a positive experience is so
(34:47):
much more important than themedals.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
Well, and like I mean it sounds so cliche it almost
seems silly when you say it, butthey really are all winners
because they're like I mean it'sthe best of the best.
Like I always compare it to thereal Olympics.
I'm a sports guy, so it's likeyou know, or like any, like you
look at a hockey team.
Is anyone on that hockey teamactually bad?
Like no, everyone on thathockey team had to play for 20
(35:10):
years at the junior level towork their way up and even to
the even to ride the bench.
You're one of the top playersin the world.
Just to ride the bench, becausethat's professionals.
Now I see skills, the same.
You know you get these, thesestudents coming in from all over
Canada to compete.
You already cleared all thebenchmarks.
You already cleared all thehurdles.
You're just here to see ifyou're going to take some
(35:31):
hardware home, but you could bedead last and you're still in
the top 10%.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
You are still one of the top 10 welders across the
country, exactly, exactly, like.
That's no joke, it's justmind-blowing when you think of
it in that way.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
Yeah, yeah.
Now what about you know, thegrowth of your, your team, or
your, your, your program there?
What are the things that you'relooking to strengthen, you know
, in the upcoming year or by thenext qualifying year?
Speaker 2 (36:03):
I would like to really strengthen our training
and mentorship program.
We have a ton of alumni, formercompetitors out there that
would like to be involved in theorganization.
It just would take me, you know, organizing their involvement
(36:24):
Like they are an untapped wealth.
Those alumni and formercompetitors, because they've
been there, they can tell theupcoming group you know what
they're going to face betterthan I can I've never, competed
um.
so really tapping into thatsource of um skills and
knowledge with the alumninational office Office is doing
(36:46):
a great job.
They have the National AlumniCommittee that they use every
year at the national event.
So doing that, so growth inthat, what else, you know?
Just keeping things on an evenkeel.
It's running a nonprofitorganization with with you know
(37:08):
its own special group ofchallenges and things like that.
You're running into funding andyou know human resources and all
those things.
So keeping that all on an evenkeel, um, at the end of the year
I sort of do this when you comeout and the, the bank account
balances and everything is youknow.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
The CRA is not knocking at your door.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
The CRA is not knocking at the door.
It's always a good year.
So a few of the challenges thatI see I would like to grow the
team a little bit more.
Pre-covid we had about 45 kidsthat we we had on pei's team.
I would like to get us back upto that level.
(37:51):
Um, there's a few competitionareas that we don't currently
compete in that I would like tobring on board steam fitting,
pipe fitting, plumbing.
There's a couple um in thetrades areas that I would like
to see PEI participate.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
Just get it all rounded out, yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Yep, yep.
So there's always something,there's always room for growth,
there's always room.
You know that, Max, soeverywhere's right.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
Now, what about the importance of your local funders
and sponsors?
You know how has that changedover the last 16 years and how
critical is it to themaintenance and expansion of
your program.
You know because, like you said, as a not-for-profit, there's x
amount of funding that comesfrom, you know, headquarters.
If you want to go above andbeyond that, you got to go out
(38:37):
and pound the sand to get itright.
How are those relationships foryou in the community and pi?
Speaker 2 (38:43):
um well, we would be very hard pressed to keep our
doors open if it wasn't forHolland College.
They support us withoutquestion every year in terms of
financial and in time.
They support a lot of ourvolunteers, our instructors from
(39:05):
the college.
They support a lot of ourvolunteers, our instructors from
the college.
So management of the collegealways supports their staff to
be involved with skills at theprovincial and the national
level both.
You know some of these NTCs.
They're gone for seven, eightdays at a national event.
That's right.
So we are very fortunate herein PEI in that the college and a
(39:29):
lot of the employers that theseNTCs come from, support them
and you know, allow them and seethe benefit for their staff
being involved at the nationallevel.
You know it's free professionaldevelopment really when you look
at it that way.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
Oh it is, it's huge yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
So Holland College is integral to our success and
they support us, withoutquestion, the provincial
government, you know.
Again, financial support wework closely with apprenticeship
partnership, withapprenticeship through MPEI, so
it's great to have that workingrelationship with them.
(40:08):
It's, you know, it's all ajuggling act.
It is.
We appreciate you're soappreciative of everything that
everyone does and the supportthat you get from organizations
locally.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
Well, I hope that this podcast hits the airwaves
all over PEI and you've gotcompanies knocking on your door
saying how can we support?
Speaker 2 (40:29):
Wouldn't that be lovely.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Because we want to hire your top five of whatever
trade it is.
So, for the people listening,and if you know the PEI area or
if you're involved, we're alwayslooking for more people to help
support these kids Absolutely.
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
You can never have enough good people.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
No, never, never.
And the networking is half thegame.
It's funny.
I have to talk to my boss aboutthat all the time, because I
run the not-for-profit side andhe's always like, oh yeah, I'm
like, hey, I'm on thenot-for-profit side, I have to
be pounding the sand, that's myjob.
Yeah, you get it yeah, we get itnow to wrap this question or
the podcast up.
(41:09):
I only got a couple morequestions, but this has been
fantastic.
Uh, we talked a little bitabout what your favorite you
know events are to look at, butlet's rewrite the script for
tana and and let's you know ifwe go back in time and you're,
you know you're.
You're just getting out of highschool, you're looking to go
into a career and, knowing whatyou know now about all the
(41:31):
trades and all these careersthat are available and how they
go, what would you pick for atrade for the rest of your life,
knowing what you know now?
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Oh God.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
I pulled out all the good ones here.
Speaker 2 (41:44):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I pulled out all the good ones
here.
Yeah, yeah, I would probably doeither carpentry or welding,
and I'm not saying just becauseI'm sitting here talking to you,
max.
I'm not saying that, but it canbe.
(42:04):
I've seen some people somepeople with that have you know
taking welding programs andthey've done some really
creative things as welders likereally amazingly creative things
.
Um, I like building, I likemaking things, so I definitely
it would either be welding orcarpentry or both.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
I mean, they're both a construction trade.
Really, why not?
Speaker 2 (42:28):
yeah, both, why not?
Although what about yourself?
What about you, mac?
Speaker 1 (42:33):
so here's the thing like I got into welding when I
was 17, um, very young, I did goto university but I took
philosophy because I just, I'mjust that person that takes
philosophy, I guess.
But if I had to redo it all, ahgeez, I'd probably say I'd want
to get into teaching, okay, butI did end up being a teacher
(42:56):
through welding.
So I, like, I mean my message,I guess, to the people listening
is that you can do it allthrough the trades, because
every trade needs businessowners.
Every trade needs accountants,every trade needs, um you know,
program project managers andengineers and people on the
floor.
The trades don't live in a in avacuum, right?
Speaker 2 (43:19):
yeah because, even though, and, and the message is
don't put yourself in a silo yesright like look at you, your
17-year-old welder and wound upbeing a teacher instructing at
the community college.
And now, here you are, asuperstar on the CWB podcast,
right.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
That's right and that's the tale.
You know, that's the tale.
When you get into trades, doorsare all around you.
You know you don't got the onedoor in front of you, you got a
corridor and there's doors inevery direction.
It's up to you to decide whatyou want to do with your career,
right?
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (43:56):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
And again it sounds like a cliche, but there are a
lot of opportunities and doorsthat people can take advantage
of young people.
Speaker 1 (44:05):
That's amazing.
So you don't have anyone that'sworking towards the qualifying
year in Shanghai.
That's unfortunate, it's toobad.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
No qualifier for Shanghai.
Speaker 1 (44:16):
But next year's a new year and here we go again.
Speaker 2 (44:19):
Here we go again.
Speaker 1 (44:21):
We love it.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
We keep coming back for more.
Speaker 1 (44:24):
Where is Skills next year?
I think is it back in Toronto.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
We're in Toronto next year, downtown Toronto.
Yeah, that's going to be hugeRight.
And we can't let.
Speaker 1 (44:35):
Ontario win all of them right.
Nope, and then after Ontario, Idon't know if they've announced
what's after that in two years.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
After that we're out in Calgary.
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Oh, that's right.
They got the new conventioncenter there in Calgary.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
Yes, right.
Speaker 1 (44:53):
So that's going to be fun I always enjoy going out
west.
Speaker 2 (44:57):
It's a heck of a trip from PEI but the kids always
enjoy it and you know theprovinces out west always put on
a great show.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
We love to host.
We do love to host.
Yeah, we like to show off.
Speaker 2 (45:13):
Yeah, yeah.
People always ask me when.
When's it coming back to PEI?
I said well, I said at somepoint I'm going to retire.
I said the new executivedirector can deal with that if
she likes.
Speaker 1 (45:25):
Well, the problem with skills is a double-edged
sword is that it's grown so bigthat it can only be hosted in
certain areas.
Now I remember when it was ableto do much smaller venues
because it was half the size.
Now, at the size, it's reallyonly four or five locations in
all of canada that could evenhost it that's's right.
(45:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:45):
But it's a good problem to have it is.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
It is a good problem to have Awesome.
Well, is there any last piecesof information you'd like to let
people know about Skills PEI?
Perhaps how to get involvedwith Skills PEI or how to find
information about your group?
Speaker 2 (46:02):
You can check out our website.
We're on all the socials.
Our website is justwwwskillscanadapeca.
Um, we're on facebook underskills canada, prince edward
island.
Uh, so yeah, either one ofthose you can reach out to us.
We're always happy to hear frompeople awesome.
Speaker 1 (46:20):
So if you're in the area, if you're out east, you
know, make sure you volunteer,give a helping hand, offer to
mentor visits, whatever is, anyhelp is usable, suppliers and
vendors out there.
Again, don't forget about giftin kind that's a huge thing,
donations of consumables andmaterials, and PPE is a massive
cost for all these skillsorganizations and that's
(46:41):
something that I know issometimes forgotten in the books
.
But you know, safety glassescan get expensive.
Speaker 2 (46:48):
Yeah, absolutely.
We need a lot of them.
Everything's expensive thesedays, we know that.
Speaker 1 (46:53):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (46:55):
Uh well, thank you so much.
So yeah, every little bit helpsfor sure.
Speaker 1 (46:57):
Absolutely Well.
Thank you very much for beingon the show today.
I really appreciate it.
I had a wonderful conversation.
I wish I would have met youhere in Regina.
I would have brought you outwith all the welders for some
drinks.
But next time, oh my God.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
I'm going to put a bit of time.
Well, hopefully I'll get achance to see you, maybe next
year in Toronto.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
I will be there.
Speaker 2 (47:20):
We'll be there with the podcast and the whole road
show Excellent.
Speaker 1 (47:22):
So thanks very much for chatting and the opportunity
to speak with you today, max,awesome Thanks, donna and for
the people that have beenfollowing along on the show.
Make sure you check out all theepisodes.
We did, I think, 14 in total.
15 episodes in total for skills.
This year there's a wholeseries.
So if you caught this one andrandomly check them all out,
learn a little bit about everyprovince and territory.
And also thank you fordownloading and sharing and
(47:42):
commenting on our podcast andfor keeping us where we are, but
we'll catch you at the nextepisode.
We hope you enjoy the show.
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 this special series
(00:27):
of the CWB Association podcast.
What's so special about it isthat we have been interviewing
the executive directors from allthe different provinces and
territories across Canada forthe Skills National Competencies
competition in Regina,saskatchewan.
Now we did as many as we couldin person live on the floor, but
(00:47):
, tawny, we couldn't get you in,so we got you here online,
coming in to us from PEI, whereI hear it's a heat wave.
Happy to have you here, tawnyMcLeod.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Thanks so much for having me, Max.
I was super bummed not to beable to join you guys when we
were in Regina, but sometimeswith those teams, boy, you just
never know how your day's goingto play out.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Well, I heard there was, you know, a little fires
and things going on all the time, and that's expected.
How was your overall impressionof the Regina skills?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Overall, it was a great competition.
It was a great competition.
It was a great venue.
The volunteers all ourvolunteers really enjoyed having
the space that we had in Regina.
We had some great localvolunteers from the city of
Regina.
My competitors themselves had areally fabulous event and
(01:44):
really great things to say aboutit.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
That's awesome.
Now for yourself.
Before we get into the bonesand the broth here of what
skills is like for PEI, you know, at the national level, let's
talk a little bit first aboutyour track and pathway into the
executive director position.
You know I've worked withskills for almost 20 years
(02:07):
myself in some capacity oranother, and I've always loved
the stories of all the peoplethat get involved because they
come from everywhere.
So let's start with whereyou're from.
What's your roots?
Where are you born?
Where do you call home?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Born and raised on PEI.
Born and raised and have neverleft.
So this has been home for well.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I'm not going to tell you my age, max, but quite a
number of years, at least 25years, at least 25 years, and
you know growing up in PEI, wasthere much focus in your young
life about skills and the tradesand all this, all this
conversation that we're a partof now?
Speaker 2 (02:47):
oh god, no, um, I went to school I don't even
think, max in my high schoolthat we had, like we had, an
industrial arts program butthere was no specific focus on
anything like welding orcarpentry or any of the typical
trades.
And it wasn't actually until Istarted working with our local
(03:14):
community college way back in1998.
And you may remember this, max,the college built a welding
school down in Georgetown,prince Edward Island, back in
1998.
And I started working withthose programs at that time.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
And in what capacity?
What was your role back then?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
I was managing programs, working as an office
manager, so I was doing a littlebit of everything.
At one point I was writing Iwrote curriculum for our
commercial diving.
I was writing, I wrotecurriculum for our commercial
diving, underwater weldingcommercial diving program.
So I did a little bit ofeverything for about 10 years
(03:52):
down there.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
That's amazing.
And how did you get into thatsphere of the trades?
You know, were you like?
What was it that you went tocollege to study and do?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Well, I went to college to study and do um.
Well, I um went to college, Ihave a business bachelor,
business degree, um, and reallysort of just fell into it max,
like I didn't go out thinking,okay, I want to do abc.
It was, you know, um, I wasreally young, one of my first
(04:24):
jobs fresh out of universitycollege, and it was in 98, 99
that PEI first started doingprovincial competitions, and
welding was one of the firstcompetitions that we did, way
back when that we did way backwhen.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
It's interesting because I've heard that story in
a few provinces now thatwelding is kind of the first
like introductory competitionfor the national or even
provincial levels, which is, youknow, strange to hear because
it's probably one of the mostexpensive to get into when you
think of all the other ones itis and it's one of our most
expensive competitions to runfor sure.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
So yeah, I'm not sure .
I'm not sure why the provincesfocused on that initially, like
I think our first year that weand I was working with the
college at the time back in 98,but I think in 98, skills Canada
PEI may have hosted fourcompetitions that year, and
welding, of course, being one ofthem.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
That's amazing and the growth now is is incredible.
So, before we get ahead ofourselves, so you start helping
out with the college, you know,you start getting uh, you know
involved with the trades.
Um, I believe in that area,holland college was likely where
you know, you're, you'reworking, and now that's not.
(05:44):
All colleges get involved withskills but some do no.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Right no.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
So what opened your eyes to this world of skills
when you were working with thecollege?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Well, I have a bit of a different road path to skills
In 2009,.
PEI hosted the nationalcompetition first and only time
that they've hosted, and theexecutive director at that time
went out on sick leave suddenly,very suddenly, and so in
(06:16):
January of that year I wasworking with the college and the
board of directors of SkillsCanada.
Peibi came to me because theyknew I had been involved in the
welding and some of the tradesprograms in georgetown and asked
if I would step in as a interimexecutive director, host
provincials for 2009 and helppull off that national event in
(06:39):
may of 2009.
That's a pretty short trial byfire yeah, that's a short runway
.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
That's a short runway to get the plane off the ground
yeah, yeah, so I did it.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
I'm not I'm not sure yet how I did it.
I couldn't tell you how I didit, but I did it and uh, they
actually they still some of thevolunteers still talk about the
event that we hosted back herein PEI way back when.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
So yeah, so so the trial by fire for the interim
position, which obviously becamethe forever position you know,
um, after that first year ofgetting involved, what was it
that kept you in?
Speaker 2 (07:21):
um, what was it that kept me in?
Really, it was the kids yeah um, it was the students, it was
the uniqueness of theopportunity that the skills
competitions gives to theseyoung people.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
That's what kept me in it and you know, you see kind
of the best of the best fromevery area right, and it's
really wonderful.
You know, one of the anecdotalthings I always find is that
when you work with people thatdon't work with kids, there's a
lot of doom and gloom.
They're always like thefuture's going to be disaster.
(08:00):
These kids are no good.
This generation doesn't knowhow to work.
This generation can't doanything on their own.
But let me tell you, I work onthe other side.
You know, I taught in thecolleges for a number of years
and with skills now a long time,and they give me a lot of hope.
These kids.
I see a lot of bright futuresand really great talents.
And you know you, yeah, thesenational competitions, even
(08:24):
provincially.
How can you give up on theyouth when you have a room of?
Speaker 2 (08:29):
just incredibly ambitious Superstars, superstars
, exactly.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
At every trade, it's nothing.
Every time I come away from askills competition I'm like
we're fine.
If anything, they're going todo all of this way better than
we did, because all the problemsin the world right now it's us.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
it's us like we got to get out of the way exactly
yeah, and, like you said, we'redealing with kids that are
really committed to what they'redoing and, whether that's
welding or carpentry or whateverit may be, they're committed to
being the best of the best.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah, and for the right reasons, you know.
Yeah, they're not necessarilyin it for the money I mean.
That always comes around.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Money helps.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
It helps, but at that point in their lives.
I feel like they're in it forthe competition for that
personal growth right.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Now you started off as ED.
How long ago was your?
When was your first year as ED?
2009?
.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
So 2009.
So yeah, I've been 16 years 16years.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
So in those 16 years how has the PEI environment
changed?
With skills you know?
How much has it grown.
How much more involved is it?
How many more you know areas doyou guys compete in?
Speaker 2 (09:48):
um, okay, well, let me think back in 2009.
Uh, provincially, we had, Ithink, 68 provincial competitors
that year in 20 differentcompetition categories.
Okay, then, the national teamthat year had 18 students on it
(10:11):
okay um this past competitioncycle.
Our team we had 36 kids on.
Our national team, we had 320kids compete provincially, wow,
wow, and we competed in 35different competition areas.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Now, that's just amazing, that's amazing, it is
amazing growth and it's not justPEI Like.
I mean New Brunswick, novaScotia, newfoundland.
You guys are all killing it outthere in the trades.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
We're kind of rock stars.
Kind of rock stars it is.
I was out there for AtlanticSkills in.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
New.
We're kind of rock stars.
Kind of rock stars?
No, it is, and I was out therefor atlantic skills in new
brunswick, uh, a couple monthsago, um, and of course, we
hosted in monkton our conferencetwo years ago.
And let me tell you and there'ssomething I touched with with a
couple other of the podcasts,because I'm from saskatchewan, I
grew up in saskatchewan, it'smy province, and out here in the
West, there was always thiskind of mentality of the
(11:07):
Easterners come to us for thework, the Easterners come to us
for the money.
We're the hub of where it is ifyou're in the trades, but I
feel like, especially going outEast, spending time with
tradespeople out there, thatthat dialogue has changed and
that they're not thinking aboutleaving, no more.
It's about what's in ourbackyard to do.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Yeah, you're absolutely right, and I see it
even coming from the college,when these students would
graduate from the plumbingprogram, the welding program,
and that was, you know, the topof mind I'm going to graduate,
I'm going to write my firstblock and then I'm getting the
heck out of here and head westyeah um, but yeah, it's not the
(11:54):
case anymore.
That's they.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
More and more of these young people are sticking
around home, which is greatabsolutely it's wonderful well,
there's people out here in thewest now they're like, hey,
maybe we should go out east.
You know, the cost of livingisn't quite as high as it's gone
out here and there's lots ofwork you know, you see companies
like irving that you know, likeIrving, that if you're outside
of the Maritimes, you don'treally know what Irving is until
(12:19):
you go, because they got a hugefootprint.
It's not just shipbuilding,it's everything right.
You got other companies outthere that are just taking off
right now.
Mining's coming back like it'snever been before.
I think it's all just goldstars out there right now.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Yeah, it looks bright .
I'm excited about things thatwill happen over the next 10
years.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Now, in terms of your skills group, you know you've
doubled in size for the amountof competitors and stuff.
What about on the internal side?
You know, as a director foryour skills province, you know,
have you increased double thenumber of staff?
Oh gosh, that's a sillyquestion Mark.
(13:05):
How are you guys doing all thisamazing work, Like how many of
you are there in the office?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
There's me and I have a program director that works
75% with time with me, but I100% credit our growth and our
success to the volunteers thatwe have.
Yeah, I have an incredibleroster of volunteers who put a
(13:32):
lot of blood, sweat and tearsinto pulling off provincial
events and are committed tosharing their knowledge and
their skills with young people.
So it's 100% the volunteers.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
And are you noticing with the volunteers that sort of
cyclical effect that skillshave?
I mean we all joke about skillsis like the mafia Once you're
in you can't get out.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Once you're in, you're in, you don't leave.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Leave, that's right and do you find that your
volunteers are in that boat,that they may have been past
competitors or mentors orwhatever it may be?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
oh yeah, I would say so.
Um, we have provincial techchairs for all our competition
areas.
So I would say, out of those 40chairs um, 90 of them have been
former competitors yeah and youknow it's one of those tough
things you you'd like to bringin new blood, but you really
(14:25):
want to hang on to those onesthat you know they can pull off
these competitions with theireyes closed and their hands tied
behind their back right that'sright.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Yeah, I just heard someone say to me, like you
don't want to turn away a steak,but you never throw out the
beef jerky.
You know it's a perfect analogy.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
It's perfect Like we're all looking for that nice
fresh steak.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
But you know, beef jerky goes a long way.
So yeah now, absolutely true.
You see, the people people youknow get that love and that
commitment to the skills network.
You know we'll call it.
You know where they compete.
They mentor, then theyvolunteer, they become NTCs,
ptcs.
You know, they, they, they gothrough this whole journey
(15:10):
within skills.
What is, what is it that youthink that brings them back?
What is it that special saucethat makes the people want to
stay and be a part of this,because it can be?
a lot of work it can be a lot ofwork yeah it's a ton of work.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Um, I think, nationally it's a couple of
things.
It's the excitement of thatnational competition right.
Just the event itself.
It's the networking that beinga volunteer, a national
volunteer, gives these PTCs andNTCs, national Technical Chair
(15:54):
Committees, like the opportunityyou know to spend a week with
their peers from across Canadadoing the thing that they love
doing, right, even though it isdoing it 14 hour days without
pay on a volunteer basis.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yeah, well, at least you get sandwiches for free.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Free sandwiches, free sandwiches.
It may or may not be a goodsandwich, but it's at least you
get sandwiches for free.
Free sandwiches, freesandwiches.
It may or may not be a goodsandwich but it's free at least.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
And you know it's so interesting to me watching that
networking piece of it.
Like I mean there's a reasonthe CWB group decided to become
Silver Sponsors to Skills.
The CWB group decided to becomesilver sponsors to skills and
it wasn't just to like givemoney to another organization.
That's like minded becausewe're kind of in the same boat
for a lot of things when itcomes to the steel trades.
(16:43):
But it's more about our membersare also your members.
So why are we not playing inthe same sandbox?
You know, so many of my chapterchairs and chapter volunteers
across canada are the samevolunteers that are working with
skills and are working withmentors and I was like, why am I
(17:04):
making them choose between twoevents?
Why don't we just attend thesame one?
You know what I mean, becauseit is that desire to, you know,
just hang out with the otherpeople in your profession that
are also at the kind of the topof their game and their
community and and just bouncethings off the wall with each
other.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
You know, Absolutely Learn, you know what they're
doing in Regina and what they'redoing in Newfoundland and all
of those things.
It's a very unique opportunityfor volunteers and companies
like the CWB.
If you've been around skills,you've seen how the partnerships
have grown with the nationalevent over the last 10, 15 years
(17:47):
and organizations are realizingthat this event, in its
uniqueness, is one of a kind andsomething really that they'd be
foolish not to take advantageof well it's by being part of it
it's.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
It's like the olympics, but better, because
everyone's employable right likeI love the olympics and you
know, you know god bless thefastest swimmer in the world,
but I don't know how that helpsme.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Yeah Right, you're not.
You're not getting a paycheckfor being the fastest swimmer in
the world.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
That's right, and I and I can't hire anyone from the
Olympics unless I want someoneto run messages for me real fast
or something.
But the Olympics of trades issuch a no brainer Like.
I don't understand why everyyou know michelin level, you
know restaurant, isn't attendingall the top welding shops.
Should be attending all the topautomotive construction, like
(18:44):
all the 82 trades or whatever.
Are there the who's who ofcompanies should be there,
because this is your future,right in front of you.
Yeah, like these kids, as soonas the competition's over, you
should be walking up to them,offering them a job, which I
know kind of happens on its own.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
It does happen, um, but I I've always liked to say
that the skills canada nationalcompetition, specifically, is
one of the best kept secrets incanada really, and you don't
know until you know.
That's right, like I, can sithere and talk about it until I'm
blue in the face, but until yousee that event and feel that
(19:21):
energy on the competition floor,yeah, that's when you get
hooked.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Yeah, and you're in it for life.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
You're in it for life .
Speaker 1 (19:31):
And you know I didn't know much about skills until I
became a college professor andthen we got the opportunity to
work with skills to get a kid in.
You know, luckily enough, I wasthere the year of 2019.
I got to go to WorldSkills inKazan with our welder and the
whole process, you know theregional skills, then the
provincials, and then thenational, and then nationals
(19:53):
again because it was an off yearyear, so we had to go again for
the second year, for thequalifying year to go to to
russia, and then and then worldskills.
Oh my goodness, I thought I'dseen it all.
Let me yeah, that's somethingelse, that's and you know I mean
national, canadian, nationalskills is enough to make you
giddy for the rest of the year.
You know it's enough to leaveyou inspired, like I always say
(20:15):
to my friends, like I don't knowhow you leave a skills
competition without a heart fullof inspiration, like you're
just ready for the next year ofwhatever.
But then going to worlds andrealizing that the whole world
you got welders that don't evenspeak the same language, but,
they're making best friends fromother countries.
And you see countries that havebillions of dollars to invest in
(20:36):
their students.
And then you have thesecountries where you know these
poor kids are practicing in theback of their, you know, church
kitchen for cooking yeah, thedonated kitchen from the church
to cook.
But there they are on the worldstage and, oh my god, I'm
getting the tingles justthinking about it.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
You know it's remarkable, and I mean it's it's
the same here in in canada aswell.
You you have provinces likeontario and alberta, who are
huge provinces huge um and like.
I think ontario has somethinglike 314 high schools.
We have 12 here on pei.
(21:12):
We have 12 high schools have 12here on PEI, we have 12 high
schools.
So you get that on the nationallevel, but it's very, very
obvious at the internationallevel for sure.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
So going back to that national level, you know every
province kind of has their stickthat they know, like, like,
when you talk to yourcompetitors you're like this
one's usually ours, let's get itagain.
What are the ones that pei haskind of been known for to win?
Speaker 2 (21:41):
oh god um.
We usually do pretty good in umthe it competitions okay, yeah
so 3d gamer?
Um, we usually manage to pull agold home with that one nice uh
, photography is another onethat we usually do pretty good
at.
Uh, it's it's so hard to saythat it's funny because when I I
(22:07):
have the chaperones and peoplethat travel with the team and
they always ask that questionbefore the closing ceremonies
you know, which ones do youthink we're going to get?
and it's like after 16 years youdon't know I, I, I have learned
that it's impossible to guessit really is you know, you have
kids that go in there andthey're sure that they're going
(22:28):
to be on the podium and they'renot.
And then you have other kidswho they thought the competition
floor on day two and they'vegot their head hung and they're
convinced that they justcompletely bombed, and the next
thing you know they're beingcalled up on stage to get a
medal.
So it's impossible to tell, forme anyway.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Well, and you know I've been, I've been a judge a
couple of times, and it doesn'tseparate, like there's not lots
that separates one from fourthor second from ninth.
You know, like you're talkingdecimals, you're talking I mean
it's the best of the best.
It's like even the worst car atnascar is faster than the one I
got in the garage right like Imean it's uh, it's amazing the
(23:08):
the level that they've allworked themselves up to right
now.
In your experience in 16 years,how do you feel the national
competition has evolved?
Speaker 2 (23:19):
oh, wow, it's become a beast for sure.
The quality of the competitions, I think, has really improved.
You know, the national officehas implemented a few different
things, like a CIS, which hasreally leveled the playing field
with regard to judging thecompetitions.
(23:42):
You know, they're all using thesame system.
Yeah, the, yeah it's, it's.
It's just gotten so big.
It's just gotten so large.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Well, and it's opened up other platforms.
You got the skills for Successplatforms.
Now You're looking at othersectors of the industry like
Indigenous groups.
When we were out at AtlanticSkills, they had Indigenous
Beating as one of thecompetitions.
I just love the diversity thatit's bringing.
(24:18):
diversity that it's bringingbecause one of the things that
the trades has been, I guess, umput itself in a corner for the
last 50 years is not being veryopen to women, immigrants,
people of color, and you know,and it has, and I've worked in
this industry, it is true, it istrue and we're trying to
correct that now and I thinkthat companies like skills,
organizations like skills, areopening it up to be much more
(24:39):
diverse with the kids, whichmeans it's going to be a much
more diverse workforce in thefuture, right absolutely well I
I can tell you even this yearour um post-secondary welding
competition.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
This year we had 12 students in it um and eight of
them were female amazing.
I love that yeah, I've beenwaiting for an all-female podium
yeah, well, for the last threeyears, two of our three
medalists at the provinciallevel have been female that's
amazing.
Very, very proud of that it'scoming, it's, it's opening, it's
(25:13):
you know we're getting better.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
We are getting better .
Speaker 1 (25:16):
And if we can do it with the youth, especially the
ambitious youth, like skills,they're going to make waves.
They're not going to go outthere and just put their head
down and be like, oh okay, no,they're going to expect more.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Absolutely.
I agree 100%.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Now, what about, in terms of you know, the students,
the delegates that you took out?
You took out all these students.
I'm sure there was somechaperones plus your staff.
How many of them had never leftthe Maritimes?
How many of them was like theirfirst trip out?
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Well, it's something else that comes into play is the
kids that we're seeing now ingrade 10, 11, 12, and the
college kids that we're seeingnow.
These are all what we like tocall COVID kids right they spent
two and a half years of theireducation sitting in Zoom calls
like this.
So I think out of our 36 kidswe had on the team this year,
(26:13):
there were at least nine or 10of them that had never left the
island before yeah, how many doyou think had never been on a
plane?
Speaker 1 (26:21):
oh, I would say about half of them and then how many
had ever been past ontario?
Speaker 2 (26:26):
and then we, and then we fly them to reach out across
the country.
Like it's really quite anexperience for these young
people.
It really is good.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Well, what did you hear back like feedback from the
kids about?
You know the regina and thetrip and and the adventure,
let's call it um, actually funny.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
You asked that.
I got a card, an actualhandwritten card, believe it or
not, um, from one of the kids,one of the high school
competitors, last week in themail and he wrote thank you so
much for the experience.
It has changed my life and Iwill be back again next year.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
That's so awesome.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
It's incredible how many things can you do in this
world where you have that muchof an impact in a very short
period of time?
Speaker 1 (27:14):
That's true.
It's like within a few monthsreally you know, on a young
person.
Yeah, so no one's going to pryyou out of that chair for a
while.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
They'll be taking me out by the heels.
I'll be.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
You know I've been talking to people like I mean,
in Saskatchewan we had Al Gabertfor over 20 years and you know
and other provinces.
Through these interviews I'vebeen, you know, 26 years, 15
years, 10 years.
I love to see that.
And then I've seen a few newfaces around, which I also,
because you got to keep it freshtoo right.
You got some new, fresh eds andI I love the that they get it
(27:50):
already.
You know, like you said, itonly takes one go around and
then you're like, oh okay, I seethis is a big deal.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Yeah, and I often compare the whole competition
cycle because we usually holdcompetitions because we're a
small province, they're heldover a number of days rather
than one day like a lot of theother provinces do.
So the competition cycle,usually provincial, start the
(28:18):
end of March, first week ofApril.
Then we train the team fornationals.
Nationals is usually held theend of May.
So it's a lot of work congestedinto a very small period of
time.
And I joke with my friends I Isay it's like childbirth you
forget how painful it is untilyou're doing it again.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
But we keep doing it again every year now you know,
as, as an ed, sometimes youcan't even take a break when
you're at these competitions toenjoy the competition itself
because you're so busy.
But I've been asking every,every executive director the
same question and that is if youwere a spectator, you know, in
(29:04):
regina, what would be the topthree from you know the one, two
, three of what you would loveto, just if you didn't have to
work it and you say you justwere retired and had the whole
week off.
What would you like to watchfrom start to finish of a
competition?
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Top three um, I would have to say landscape design
every single year everyone haslandscape even the last 15
minutes of it on day two rightlike oh my god, you built this.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
It was a pile of dirt yesterday.
Where did this come from?
Speaker 2 (29:43):
yeah, and they move those last 15 minutes when that
timer starts.
So, yeah, that's an incredibleone to watch.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Um robotics okay not a lot of people pick robotics,
good yeah like if you knew.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
If you knew what went on behind the scenes for the
kids that designed and madethose robots on their own in a
high school class in a highschool like the skill and the
knowledge there is justmind-blowing and it's really
cool to watch.
Um, what would be the other onecooking?
Speaker 1 (30:20):
only because I'm a foodie yeah, that was baking and
cooking.
We're almost there yeah solandscaping and cooking were
like the top two for almosteveryone, which I found to be so
interesting because no onepicked welding.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Yeah Well, you can't see anything behind the curtains
and cooking.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
obviously, who doesn't like to eat?
And I mean, I still haven't hadthe pleasure of eating because
I'm always so busy working.
And I hear people say oh, didyou go get taste the whatever?
Speaker 2 (30:47):
It busy working and I hear people say, oh, did you go
get taste the whatever it'slike?
No, I never get to.
Yeah, you and me both.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Max, you and me both now in terms of you know
yourself and your skills.
You know, in 16 years we talkabout skills being this event
that helps own kids skills.
We have the essential skillsskills for change network, which
is about these.
You know what are the essentialskills you need to succeed in
life.
Now, in your experience withskills in 16 years, what skills
(31:14):
have you had to learn to do yourjob?
Speaker 2 (31:18):
oh, wow, um uh.
Well, when I started, I had noevent management background.
I had very minimal financialbackground, but I was a great
(31:40):
organizer and I think that iswhat made me successful and what
has allowed me to continue andum really believing in the
organization.
I think is if you didn'tbelieve, if you don't believe in
what you're doing, the workthat we do, because it's so like
(32:02):
I wear 14 hats in the last year.
Right, like I'm.
I'm HR, I'm the finance guy,I'm the travel agent, I'm doing
in-school presentations, I'mdragging a CWB simulator around
to events, like I do it all.
(32:22):
So you really, just you have tolearn to roll with the punches
and just go with the flow,really.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
That's such a big part of it, it's true, and and
it's hard teaching young peoplethat young people get I always
young people love to think thatthey're so flexible, but
mentally they're not.
They're very rigid, Right, andthey get very disappointed if
things don't go their way.
And it's like you, you gottalet that go, they do you gotta
let that go.
As you get older and as youstart wearing more hats in life,
you realize that there's verylittle you actually can control
(32:52):
on this earth.
Don't stress it.
Do what you can make with thebest of what you got right yep,
yep and I.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
That's what I tell the kids every, every year that
first morning of competition,because I just know that at
least half of them are going tofreeze up that first morning.
Their mind is going to go blank.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
They're going to completely forget what they're
supposed to be doing, eventhough they've been practicing
for three months.
So I always say to them justkeep going.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Yeah, you know if you forgot something if you did
something wrong.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
The important thing is to just keep going.
Yeah, you know, if you'veforgotten something, if you did
something wrong.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
The important thing is to just keep going.
Yeah, now this year, how didyour team do like?
I mean, this is you get theluxury of being the only podcast
.
That's after the results cameout everyone else everyone else
was still on the fence about howthey were doing, but let's
celebrate.
How did pei do?
What were the medals that wasbrought home?
What happened?
Speaker 2 (33:49):
What did we get this year?
We got 2D animation.
Our 2D animation, high schoolkids got a bronze.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Our post-secondary photography got bronze, we got a
silver in architecturaltechnology and yeah, those were
the three areas A bit below whatwe normally average about five,
six medals which is great for asmall province.
We all know on a qualifyingyear that Quebec and Alberta
(34:22):
bring out the big guns.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
Yeah, the big teams roll out.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Yeah, the big guns come out on a qualified year for
sure.
So pleased with it and everyone.
Everyone had a positiveexperience, and to me that is
don't get me wrong, I, I love tosee bring the hardware home max
um, but having the kids reallyhave a positive experience is so
(34:47):
much more important than themedals.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
Well, and like I mean it sounds so cliche it almost
seems silly when you say it, butthey really are all winners
because they're like I mean it'sthe best of the best.
Like I always compare it to thereal Olympics.
I'm a sports guy, so it's likeyou know, or like any, like you
look at a hockey team.
Is anyone on that hockey teamactually bad?
Like no, everyone on thathockey team had to play for 20
(35:10):
years at the junior level towork their way up and even to
the even to ride the bench.
You're one of the top playersin the world.
Just to ride the bench, becausethat's professionals.
Now I see skills, the same.
You know you get these, thesestudents coming in from all over
Canada to compete.
You already cleared all thebenchmarks.
You already cleared all thehurdles.
You're just here to see ifyou're going to take some
(35:31):
hardware home, but you could bedead last and you're still in
the top 10%.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
You are still one of the top 10 welders across the
country, exactly, exactly, like.
That's no joke, it's justmind-blowing when you think of
it in that way.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
Yeah, yeah.
Now what about you know, thegrowth of your, your team, or
your, your, your program there?
What are the things that you'relooking to strengthen, you know
, in the upcoming year or by thenext qualifying year?
Speaker 2 (36:03):
I would like to really strengthen our training
and mentorship program.
We have a ton of alumni, formercompetitors out there that
would like to be involved in theorganization.
It just would take me, you know, organizing their involvement
(36:24):
Like they are an untapped wealth.
Those alumni and formercompetitors, because they've
been there, they can tell theupcoming group you know what
they're going to face betterthan I can I've never, competed
um.
so really tapping into thatsource of um skills and
knowledge with the alumninational office Office is doing
(36:46):
a great job.
They have the National AlumniCommittee that they use every
year at the national event.
So doing that, so growth inthat, what else, you know?
Just keeping things on an evenkeel.
It's running a nonprofitorganization with with you know
(37:08):
its own special group ofchallenges and things like that.
You're running into funding andyou know human resources and all
those things.
So keeping that all on an evenkeel, um, at the end of the year
I sort of do this when you comeout and the, the bank account
balances and everything is youknow.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
The CRA is not knocking at your door.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
The CRA is not knocking at the door.
It's always a good year.
So a few of the challenges thatI see I would like to grow the
team a little bit more.
Pre-covid we had about 45 kidsthat we we had on pei's team.
I would like to get us back upto that level.
(37:51):
Um, there's a few competitionareas that we don't currently
compete in that I would like tobring on board steam fitting,
pipe fitting, plumbing.
There's a couple um in thetrades areas that I would like
to see PEI participate.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
Just get it all rounded out, yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Yep, yep.
So there's always something,there's always room for growth,
there's always room.
You know that, Max, soeverywhere's right.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
Now, what about the importance of your local funders
and sponsors?
You know how has that changedover the last 16 years and how
critical is it to themaintenance and expansion of
your program.
You know because, like you said, as a not-for-profit, there's x
amount of funding that comesfrom, you know, headquarters.
If you want to go above andbeyond that, you got to go out
(38:37):
and pound the sand to get itright.
How are those relationships foryou in the community and pi?
Speaker 2 (38:43):
um well, we would be very hard pressed to keep our
doors open if it wasn't forHolland College.
They support us withoutquestion every year in terms of
financial and in time.
They support a lot of ourvolunteers, our instructors from
(39:05):
the college.
They support a lot of ourvolunteers, our instructors from
the college.
So management of the collegealways supports their staff to
be involved with skills at theprovincial and the national
level both.
You know some of these NTCs.
They're gone for seven, eightdays at a national event.
That's right.
So we are very fortunate herein PEI in that the college and a
(39:29):
lot of the employers that theseNTCs come from, support them
and you know, allow them and seethe benefit for their staff
being involved at the nationallevel.
You know it's free professionaldevelopment really when you look
at it that way.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
Oh it is, it's huge yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
So Holland College is integral to our success and
they support us, withoutquestion, the provincial
government, you know.
Again, financial support wework closely with apprenticeship
partnership, withapprenticeship through MPEI, so
it's great to have that workingrelationship with them.
(40:08):
It's, you know, it's all ajuggling act.
It is.
We appreciate you're soappreciative of everything that
everyone does and the supportthat you get from organizations
locally.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
Well, I hope that this podcast hits the airwaves
all over PEI and you've gotcompanies knocking on your door
saying how can we support?
Speaker 2 (40:29):
Wouldn't that be lovely.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Because we want to hire your top five of whatever
trade it is.
So, for the people listening,and if you know the PEI area or
if you're involved, we're alwayslooking for more people to help
support these kids Absolutely.
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
You can never have enough good people.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
No, never, never.
And the networking is half thegame.
It's funny.
I have to talk to my boss aboutthat all the time, because I
run the not-for-profit side andhe's always like, oh yeah, I'm
like, hey, I'm on thenot-for-profit side, I have to
be pounding the sand, that's myjob.
Yeah, you get it yeah, we get itnow to wrap this question or
the podcast up.
(41:09):
I only got a couple morequestions, but this has been
fantastic.
Uh, we talked a little bitabout what your favorite you
know events are to look at, butlet's rewrite the script for
tana and and let's you know ifwe go back in time and you're,
you know you're.
You're just getting out of highschool, you're looking to go
into a career and, knowing whatyou know now about all the
(41:31):
trades and all these careersthat are available and how they
go, what would you pick for atrade for the rest of your life,
knowing what you know now?
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Oh God.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
I pulled out all the good ones here.
Speaker 2 (41:44):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I pulled out all the good ones
here.
Yeah, yeah, I would probably doeither carpentry or welding,
and I'm not saying just becauseI'm sitting here talking to you,
max.
I'm not saying that, but it canbe.
(42:04):
I've seen some people somepeople with that have you know
taking welding programs andthey've done some really
creative things as welders likereally amazingly creative things
.
Um, I like building, I likemaking things, so I definitely
it would either be welding orcarpentry or both.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
I mean, they're both a construction trade.
Really, why not?
Speaker 2 (42:28):
yeah, both, why not?
Although what about yourself?
What about you, mac?
Speaker 1 (42:33):
so here's the thing like I got into welding when I
was 17, um, very young, I did goto university but I took
philosophy because I just, I'mjust that person that takes
philosophy, I guess.
But if I had to redo it all, ahgeez, I'd probably say I'd want
to get into teaching, okay, butI did end up being a teacher
(42:56):
through welding.
So I, like, I mean my message,I guess, to the people listening
is that you can do it allthrough the trades, because
every trade needs businessowners.
Every trade needs accountants,every trade needs, um you know,
program project managers andengineers and people on the
floor.
The trades don't live in a in avacuum, right?
Speaker 2 (43:19):
yeah because, even though, and, and the message is
don't put yourself in a silo yesright like look at you, your
17-year-old welder and wound upbeing a teacher instructing at
the community college.
And now, here you are, asuperstar on the CWB podcast,
right.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
That's right and that's the tale.
You know, that's the tale.
When you get into trades, doorsare all around you.
You know you don't got the onedoor in front of you, you got a
corridor and there's doors inevery direction.
It's up to you to decide whatyou want to do with your career,
right?
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (43:56):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
And again it sounds like a cliche, but there are a
lot of opportunities and doorsthat people can take advantage
of young people.
Speaker 1 (44:05):
That's amazing.
So you don't have anyone that'sworking towards the qualifying
year in Shanghai.
That's unfortunate, it's toobad.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
No qualifier for Shanghai.
Speaker 1 (44:16):
But next year's a new year and here we go again.
Speaker 2 (44:19):
Here we go again.
Speaker 1 (44:21):
We love it.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
We keep coming back for more.
Speaker 1 (44:24):
Where is Skills next year?
I think is it back in Toronto.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
We're in Toronto next year, downtown Toronto.
Yeah, that's going to be hugeRight.
And we can't let.
Speaker 1 (44:35):
Ontario win all of them right.
Nope, and then after Ontario, Idon't know if they've announced
what's after that in two years.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
After that we're out in Calgary.
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Oh, that's right.
They got the new conventioncenter there in Calgary.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
Yes, right.
Speaker 1 (44:53):
So that's going to be fun I always enjoy going out
west.
Speaker 2 (44:57):
It's a heck of a trip from PEI but the kids always
enjoy it and you know theprovinces out west always put on
a great show.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
We love to host.
We do love to host.
Yeah, we like to show off.
Speaker 2 (45:13):
Yeah, yeah.
People always ask me when.
When's it coming back to PEI?
I said well, I said at somepoint I'm going to retire.
I said the new executivedirector can deal with that if
she likes.
Speaker 1 (45:25):
Well, the problem with skills is a double-edged
sword is that it's grown so bigthat it can only be hosted in
certain areas.
Now I remember when it was ableto do much smaller venues
because it was half the size.
Now, at the size, it's reallyonly four or five locations in
all of canada that could evenhost it that's's right.
(45:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:45):
But it's a good problem to have it is.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
It is a good problem to have Awesome.
Well, is there any last piecesof information you'd like to let
people know about Skills PEI?
Perhaps how to get involvedwith Skills PEI or how to find
information about your group?
Speaker 2 (46:02):
You can check out our website.
We're on all the socials.
Our website is justwwwskillscanadapeca.
Um, we're on facebook underskills canada, prince edward
island.
Uh, so yeah, either one ofthose you can reach out to us.
We're always happy to hear frompeople awesome.
Speaker 1 (46:20):
So if you're in the area, if you're out east, you
know, make sure you volunteer,give a helping hand, offer to
mentor visits, whatever is, anyhelp is usable, suppliers and
vendors out there.
Again, don't forget about giftin kind that's a huge thing,
donations of consumables andmaterials, and PPE is a massive
cost for all these skillsorganizations and that's
(46:41):
something that I know issometimes forgotten in the books
.
But you know, safety glassescan get expensive.
Speaker 2 (46:48):
Yeah, absolutely.
We need a lot of them.
Everything's expensive thesedays, we know that.
Speaker 1 (46:53):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (46:55):
Uh well, thank you so much.
So yeah, every little bit helpsfor sure.
Speaker 1 (46:57):
Absolutely Well.
Thank you very much for beingon the show today.
I really appreciate it.
I had a wonderful conversation.
I wish I would have met youhere in Regina.
I would have brought you outwith all the welders for some
drinks.
But next time, oh my God.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
I'm going to put a bit of time.
Well, hopefully I'll get achance to see you, maybe next
year in Toronto.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
I will be there.
Speaker 2 (47:20):
We'll be there with the podcast and the whole road
show Excellent.
Speaker 1 (47:22):
So thanks very much for chatting and the opportunity
to speak with you today, max,awesome Thanks, donna and for
the people that have beenfollowing along on the show.
Make sure you check out all theepisodes.
We did, I think, 14 in total.
15 episodes in total for skills.
This year there's a wholeseries.
So if you caught this one andrandomly check them all out,
learn a little bit about everyprovince and territory.
And also thank you fordownloading and sharing and
(47:42):
commenting on our podcast andfor keeping us where we are, but
we'll catch you at the nextepisode.
We hope you enjoy the show.
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