August 11, 2025 • 29 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!
What happens when a community desperately needs tradespeople but is only accessible by plane? Katie Mooney, Executive Director from Skills Canada Yukon, shares the unique realities of nurturing trades talent in northern Canada. Beyond the practical aspects of trades development, Katie shares insights into northern living—the exceptional work-life balance, the immediate access to wilderness, and the tight-knit communities that make the territories uniquely appealing despite the harsh winters and infrastructure limitations.
Website: https://www.skillsyukon.com/
Follow Skills/Compétences Canada:
Website: https://www.skillscompetencescanada.com/en/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SkillsCanadaOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skillscompetencescanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/skills_canada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skillscanada
There is no better time to be a member! The CWB Association membership is new, improved, and focused on you. We offer a FREE membership with a full suite of benefits to build your career, stay informed, and support the Canadian welding industry. https://www.cwbgroup.org/association/become-a-member
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, I check, check.
Good, so I'm Max Duran.
Max Duran, cwb AssociationWelding Podcast podcast podcast.
Today we have a really coolguest welding podcast.
The show is about to begin.
Hello and welcome to anotheredition of the CWB Association
(00:27):
podcast.
This week we are in beautifulRegina, saskatchewan, for the
Skills National Competitions.
As a part of this week's job,we are interviewing the
executive directors of everyprovince and territory to get
the flavors of Canada from coastto coast to coast.
Today I have Katie Mooney here,who is the ED for UConn.
How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:48):
doing.
I'm well.
How are you this morning?
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I'm great, you know, I live here oh fantastic.
So this is nice, because I getto sleep in my bed I get to go
home.
I get to show my friends myfavorite restaurants, the
favorite places to go.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Love it and I think everyone's liking it.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Absolutely.
This is an awesome city.
So what's your firstimpressions of Regina?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
It is windy, holy cow , is it windy?
Speaker 1 (01:10):
It is always windy, here it is.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
But we get to see sunsets.
I'm used to seeing mountains,so the sun just kind of behind
the mountains.
So it's great to see thebeautiful sunsets every night.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
It.
How do you like the facility sofar?
What do you think of the setup?
Oh, it's perfect, it's gorgeous.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
There's lots of room for everybody to compete.
I'm definitely getting my stepsin this week, but it's amazing.
I'm really impressed with howthe building and everybody
that's running it and thevolunteers, it's been great.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
I've heard lots of great things about the staff and
the volunteers.
I've been kind of trapped here,but if you've been out and
around, tell me like, how hasthe experience been with
everyone?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
It's been great.
I mean, we've got thevolunteers, we've got everybody
from the NTCs, the volunteers,out on the floor, we've got the
volunteers that are manning thedoors and pointing everybody in
the right direction which hasbeen amazing.
I'm loving seeing the kids fromour National Alumni Committee.
They're everywhere.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
It's amazing they were running around like crazy
yesterday alumni committee.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
They're everywhere.
It's amazing.
They're running around likecrazy.
Yesterday, like they got theirstuff.
They certainly did.
They certainly did.
So it's been awesome, it's beenreally impressive awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
So let's talk about your team.
How many competitors have youbrought down?
What's your whole team,everyone included?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
absolutely so.
Competitors we have 18 thisyear, which is pretty good for
the uconn.
Um, we've got delegates I thinkwe've got about 20 delegates
this year as well and threestaff.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Awesome.
Now, out of those 18competitors, how many different
trades are represented there?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Oh, trick question here.
Okay, so we've got, I think.
Oh, I'm going to say 16.
Okay, yeah.
We've got a couple of teamsWe've got a team of two for
animation.
And then we've got a well, Iguess I'm not 16, because we've
got a couple in welding, we'vegot a couple in carpentry, um,
but we're 13, 14.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah, we're scattered around now I know that yukon
always has quite a strongshowing in welding absolutely I
know sky.
I know the yukon you well, theprogram there.
We run camps with yukon youevery year and with the skills
up north, um, what are the othertrades that perhaps people
don't know that uconn is strongin?
Speaker 2 (03:08):
oh gosh, okay.
Well, we're great for our umyeah, like you said, with our um
welding, um heavy equipment, wedo really well.
Our president of our board isactually in the teaches heavy
equipment technology which helpsum.
Another one that we're reallystrong in is actually um
mechanical cad.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Oh awesome yeah, yeah , we've got a great team there
and that would be such a greatcareer in the yukon.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, yeah yeah, um, what else?
We've got kids that are in.
Um, oh gosh, now I'm blanking.
This is fantastic all over all.
Wonderful, all over the place.
Yeah, they're fantasticeverywhere.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Carpentry, carpentry is another really big one, yeah
well and you know those are kindof the trades that are booming
in the north.
Right, when you look atconstruction, housing has been
an issue up north forever 100.
Hopefully now we can startmaking movements and trying to
get better infrastructure.
But you're going to only beable to do that with with our
trades people, right, you'regoing to need them up.
(04:03):
They're building stuff and doyou think you got enough?
Like I don't know if peopleunderstand the population
restrictions, the travelrestrictions of the north.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
It's wild, it's wild.
Do we have enough people?
Absolutely not.
We are desperate for tradespeople.
I love it because I get to seeall the trades people, but as
far as being also a resident ofthe yukon, and if you want to
get somebody in to do, if youneed to get somebody in to do
work at your house or you don't,you're not handy yourself
situation.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Oh man, it's a good luck situation absolutely
absolutely, and that's toughbecause we in the city were like
oh man, I can't get a plumberfor a week, but oh no, ours is
like months yeah, now as howlong have you been in the ed
role?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
ed role.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
It'd be just over two years now and I mean, what was
that like for you?
Do you have any background inthe trades?
Did you come into this fromtrades adjacent work?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
my favorite question trades adjacent absolutely.
Um.
I grew up as a kid of a techteacher.
My dad taught construction.
Growing up I went intopackaging engineering, of all
things which sounds reallybizarre but we were always
trades adjacent.
We were always working withelectricians, we were working
with the plumbers, we wereworking with everybody out in
factory floors.
So I was having to work hand inhand with them and then with
(05:17):
like marketing teams.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
So I kind of had a little bit of both sides.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
So I was always trades adjacent, had a hard one
with that one, and then when wemoved up to the Yukon, there's
not really much need forpackaging.
So we were driving around Ithink it was like the first week
and I saw the skills office andI was like that's where I'm
going and, funny enough, that'swhere I landed.
Well, what pulled?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
you up to the Yukon in the first place.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Oh, oh my husband was working up.
There we were.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
We had two houses going at the same time and kids
at home when it was, it was, itwas up for a challenge it was
covid, and we're just like let's, let's do it, let's up, let's
go for a challenge and anadventure one of the things that
that happens or that we talkabout in saskatchewan is that
visitors never leave peoplepeople don't know much about
saskatchewan, but when they comehere they tend to fall in love
and then they never leavebecause it's like easy living
(06:03):
here, right?
It's easy living yeah, I'veheard the same with the north.
Absolutely, you go visit thenorth and I have friends from
high school that went up therelike a one-year contract and
they never came back.
But what is it that attractspeople to the north?
Speaker 2 (06:17):
like you hear about, the high prices, the law you
can't find a plumber for monthslike the infrastructure, the
flying, it sounds all these arelike barriers, but still there's
got to be huge pros oh man, thework-life balance I'm telling
you everybody's in the same kindof mentality of yeah,
absolutely in the summer, ifit's a great, if it's a
beautiful day, in the afternoonon a friday, the town just
clears out yeah, just get out,there, yeah yeah, and there's
(06:39):
tons of opportunity for the kidsand there's tons of
opportunities for families andit's it's just a great place to
work and live.
It's I mean, the outdoors isliterally outside your back, you
know like out your back dooryou don't have to go drive an
hour or two to go camping, yeahright there, it's right there.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
And what about the question that everyone asks me
as well in the prairies?
What about winter?
Oh, cold and dark, yeah, but Imean, are you guys entertained?
Speaker 2 (07:06):
we are.
What do you like?
Speaker 1 (07:07):
I mean here we got snowmobiles and we do festivals
in the winter.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Oh yeah, yeah, you're , you're busy and I mean the
first two years feel a littletricky.
But once you get past that andyou realize that everybody's.
You know it might be dark outat eight o'clock in the morning
but everybody's up and going towork and going to school and
there's so many activities.
I mean we're we're used to it,right?
So you can definitely keep busyin the winter, it's fine, and
then as soon as February hits,then everybody goes outside
(07:30):
again and we're all very, verybusy.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
When you took this job on, like you said, you kind
of pointed and shot at thebuilding.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
I did.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
And we're like that's the job I want.
So how were you able to kind ofsurpass the learning curve?
Because that's something I'veheard lots about the EDs is that
you got to learn not just abouta trade, but like all trades.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
All the trades yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Right, and there's almost like an expectation to be
able to communicate and get thelingo and the acronyms.
Oh my God, there's so manyacronyms.
Right, that's so true.
Yeah, what was that like foryou you?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
know what it was really.
It was.
I hate to say it and I'm sorryfor the other eds.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
It was really easy you were there for it, I was
there for it, I I can speak thelike.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
I can speak the corporate talk and I can speak
the trade floor, talk and shoptalk and it's.
It's a really easy transition.
And then in between when I waspackaging engineering and the ed
role, I was also a collegeprofessor, so stick me in front
of anybody else.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yeah, yeah, yeah now, in terms of the one of the most
important pieces to any skillsteam within a province is being
able to find support fromindustry, getting those sponsors
, getting the, the supportersfor your program, and that can
be either with cash.
That can be either with cash.
(08:45):
It can be either withfacilities.
Time.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Time, all these things Now.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
obviously, in a larger center you're going to
have much more access to avariety of sponsors and
supporters.
How do you manage that in asmaller population?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
It can be challenging , but at the same time we find
some really, really, reallypassionate people and we find
that all over the place.
A lot of our volunteers thatare on the board are also
working.
They're going to bring in theiremployers.
They're going to bring in thetime and the money.
There We've got some reallygreat construction companies
that will support us.
We've got some really greathome hardware.
(09:22):
We've got the biggest homehardware in Canada, down the
street from our office.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
So we've got some really great supporters.
We've got some really greatvolunteers that, even if their
business can't give the money,they will give the time, they
will give the supplies.
Supplies in kind yeah exactlyYou've got to keep talking to
everybody and get out there andI found that you actually have
to like, go to their businessand everybody's busy.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
It's trades Like I just said like three months to
get a plumber.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
So you go out and you talk to people and you show up
on the shop floor and talk tothem there.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Yeah, now, when you came in two years ago, what were
some of the things that youenvisioned?
Your flavor of change, becausethat's what every new executive
director including myself,everybody you always want to
bring in your own flavor, yourown style of leadership, your
own style of management, whatwas it that you really wanted to
bring up yourself to UConn?
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Myself to UConn.
I had a really great idea andthen I kept talking to you and
it was gone.
I think my thing is that I'm Iwas new into the position.
There were people that havebeen there for years and years
and you just build off of thatyeah, they know what they're
doing.
They know what you're doing myjob is to remove barriers and
(10:36):
just keep everything going asbest as I can.
Um, the only thing that I'vereally kind of been pushing for
is getting um kids interestedthat are even before high school
right, because once you getthem into high school I can hook
them no problem.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
That's called.
We've talked about that lotsthis week about what age do you
start?
Speaker 2 (10:52):
oh man, I will get them as early as grade six yeah,
grade five grade, five gradesix yeah little fun activities
and I just get some hooked andbe like skills, come on, you
know, like chat with us and chatwith us when we get to high
school and and you know we we'vegot your back.
We want, we want you to succeed, yeah and what was the?
Speaker 1 (11:09):
the reception to you as a new ed?
You know you got it.
You got staff there for a while.
You come in with all thesecrazy ideas and stuff.
You know, like how did you feellike you just fit right into
the family because you know I'vebeen involved with skills for
over a decade now.
It's like you're part of themafia, like I'm sure you got the
mafia speech right.
Absolutely, absolutely.
You know what?
It was welcomed with open arms.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
We were really lucky.
Our board is awesome.
They've been around forever.
They've got your back, nomatter what Our staff.
We had all started within aboutsix months of each other, oh
wow.
Yeah, so we were all brandspanking new and just figuring
it out as we go in.
So that was a lot of fun andwe've got a really great
supportive crew now.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
So we're like a well-oiled machine at this point
Now, in terms of thecompetitors that have come down,
a lot of the northerncommunities are, I find, much
more community-orientated,family-orientated, very
tight-knit groups of people,orientated, family orient,
absolutely very tight-knitgroups of people.
Now the support for some ofthese kids, coming down south
here for the competition.
It's got to be a little bithigher because there's some fear
(12:15):
, like I heard yesterday, one ofthe one of the competitors
coming down from nunavut um hadnever seen a tree in person oh
wow, because they're from wayne.
Yeah, yeah, yeah right, and I'dnever even thought of that yeah
, yeah.
So you know what's it like tobring your competitors, your
crew, to here.
Is there a bit of a cultureshock for some of them?
Have they like?
Maybe some of them have neverflown?
Speaker 2 (12:36):
absolutely yeah, this year we've been really lucky um
all of us.
All of our competitors havealready been out um out of the
yukon okay all right, we have alittle bit yeah we've got some
experience, but we've we've hadthe years previously where kids
haven't been on a plane beforeor haven't been out of the Yukon
before and, um, it's, it's beeninteresting sometimes we have
to have some.
We have to have some pep talksometimes um yeah, it's been,
(13:00):
it's, it's so um rewarding to beable to bring these kids here
and be like you know what youdid so great at the territorials
.
Let's bring you to the nationalcompetition, and it's going to
be a lot.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
But you're going to do great yeah, yeah, we've got
our staff's amazing at doing peptalks um.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
They do them most evenings and probably for about
a month leading up to thecompetition it's important, it's
really important, yes, thesecompetitors.
Sometimes they just stress outlike, well, we're going against
the best of the best.
I'm like, you're the best ofthe best.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Let's do this.
You deserve a seat at thattable, yeah absolutely so that's
always fun.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
I like doing that.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
And once you're here, then it's go time.
Absolutely Now how do you keepthem from not collapsing or
freaking out?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Do you know that answer?
Speaker 1 (13:47):
I always try to start with the basics.
Eat, well, yeah.
Drink water, yeah.
Sleep, sleep, sleep.
Sleep's a tricky one.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Yeah, it is, we do a really good job at feeding
everybody and making sureeverybody's supported, Like call
home, Like don't forget tocheck.
Have you checked?
In with your parents today.
We usually end up with a roomat the whatever hotel that we're
staying at.
I just load with snacks.
And I'm like you guys, takewhat you need, make sure that
you're prepared, and then youfind all your competitors and
your delegates in there at likemidnight just chatting away.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
And, like now, you have to go to bed, so I put my
mom coat on and that's yeah.
Yeah, get out of here.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
So, yeah, that's kind of fun and I love watching the
kids and they come in with somuch enthusiasm and I'm like,
yeah, yeah, that's awesome,that's awesome.
Um, let's see how you do at theend of the first day of
competition because you're gonnabe exhausted.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
I was exhausted, I'm not even competing.
Same same thing.
Everyone's like are we goingout partying tonight?
Speaker 2 (14:37):
I'm like no, absolutely not.
Tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Tonight's the night, yeah, yeah, exactly now for your
, for your competitors that arehere.
Are there any that are on theworld skills train that are, you
know, trying to get that, thatspot on world skills?
Or maybe are a past gold andthis is their second year?
Ah well, I'm sure we've gotsome that have got their eyes on
the world skills we we're nottalking about it, we're we're
keeping it as low key aspossible, don't want to add that
(15:01):
layer.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
We don't want to add that layer right now, let's get
through the next day and see howwe do um but we've got some
kids that are really gung-ho,like they are they're, you know,
my, my goal in life be a welderlike they want to go to china,
yeah, and then we've got some ofthe kids are like let's just do
this, let's see what happens.
So yeah, we've got a reallygood attitude across the team of
we don't necessarily want towin, some of us absolutely.
(15:23):
It's that is our goal, um, butsome of us are just like we're
here for the experience, we'rehere to have fun.
Let's see how it goes, which iswhich is always exciting on my
part what's the communicationlike between the other northern
territories?
Because we've got a posse.
I know, I know you do, that'swhy I'm leading you there
because there there's so muchgeography to cover there is is
(15:44):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Like I mean, people don't realize how large the
territories are, like I'm noteven looking at the islands,
like I mean, like it's huge.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
But the populations are dispersed.
Well, they're dispersed too.
A lot of small 100-person towns, you know 150-person
communities.
Now, how do you work thatcommunication, those logistics
between all the territories, theposse, yeah, and even within
your, your province?
Okay.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
So I'll start off with in our territory, um we try
to get kind of like one atleast point person in every
community and I will send mygirls out all over the place.
Our staff, we're like hey,guess where you're going next
week like you're going five anda half hours away, for you know
a camp um.
So we try to do a really goodjob having a contact everywhere
um as far as the the territoryposse um we, we we have our own
(16:36):
outside kind of calls and stufflike that where we're comparing
notes and trying to figure outtravel plans, sometimes together
, um it, it's, it's, it's achallenge and we have a lot of
like it's a challenge being theed for the territory.
So I think having somebody elsethat understands those
challenges of yeah, kind of same, barriers same barriers and
(16:56):
it's and same fun challenge likeit's the same funny things that
can happen.
Yeah, same wins too, and justlike how can we work together,
you know, do you have any ideasfor this, or yeah how do we get
out to some of these communitiesthat you know like we'll get
snowed out, like we wereplanning on going there, but the
plane just said nope, not today.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
So what do?
Yeah, and that's the crazything I keep hearing.
It's like yeah, we couldn'tmake it to your town because the
plane I'm like and we're like.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
No, no, that plane, it's a plane.
You need a plane to get there.
There are no roads to go tothat community.
Yeah, that's been fun andtrying to figure out ways to get
our stuff out there.
That's got to be so expensive.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Oh, let's not talk about that.
Well, maybe we should Fundersyou got to realize if you want
to find that stuff and developthose communities in the north.
The training programs we got tolook at infrastructure.
We got to look atinfrastructure.
We got to look at travel.
(17:52):
Why is there no roads?
Like is it?
Speaker 2 (17:53):
because they can't be built, or is it because no one
wants to pay to build them?
Or do the communities not wantthem?
Right, there's another.
There's another angle.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Yeah are we looking at?
If we're going to fertilize,you know, the, the and
strengthen the air service, wellthen you're gonna need more
pilots and more landing stripsand more quality planes, cause
you'd also want it to be safe.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Yeah, that's a huge part of it is how can?
Speaker 1 (18:12):
we get there safely.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
How can we get there reliably and efficiently?
And that's that's a big one forus and, oh yeah, our funding
for travel is huge compared toother stuff, just because we
have to get out to those placessafely and and, as often as we
possibly can now, what are yourpartners like in terms of camps
and and running other things?
Speaker 1 (18:29):
like is there lots of groups and associations up
there?
Speaker 2 (18:32):
there's tons of groups and not-for-profit groups
.
Um, we actually find thatsometimes we kind of overlap
each other's, but because we'rea small community, we overlap
each other, catch it and we'relike all right, so we're gonna
work together and do somethingtogether.
Yeah, yeah, which is reallyawesome um we find that we work
a lot with the university upthere um universe yukon you yeah
(18:53):
, we're huge with them.
Why we work with them often.
Um, so we work with a lot ofother groups and and kind of tag
team activities when we can,which is always we share
resources, share the ride evensometimes, right, yeah?
Speaker 1 (19:06):
because it saves a lot of money to partner and you
double.
I always tell like evenexecutives, when I'm in
executive meetings they want tohave like 30 meetings.
I'd rather have one meetingwith 30 items you know like, and
I think about that in terms ofsponsors and sponsorships too.
It's like you don't want tohave 15 phone calls coming in.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
If the 15 people can get together and work out a
program, and then it's just onephone call, one sit down, and
this is what we'll do.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Yeah, it's way easier to swallow, yeah.
Yeah, we actually have a greatgroup um where we get kind of um
, all the differentnot-for-profits together and the
university together and acouple of the other groups like
just um industry, people, yeahwe get together once a month and
compare it, yeah, and we kindof have a border like, okay,
which age group are you going to?
Which age group are you goingto what?
What are you?
Speaker 1 (19:53):
doing with those.
It's awesome.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Yeah, that's really fun to do, and then you kind of
have keep tabs on what everybodyelse is up to so you don't step
on any toes, and also where youcan support, yeah like oh, I
see, there's a gap here let mefill that one for you, because
I've got it yeah, yeah, nowyou've been here a couple.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
This is day two now it is did you have the full walk
of all the floor?
Oh, my feet tell me I did forsure.
So, as a spectator, which areyour top three trades to
spectate?
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Fun one.
Okay, I really like spectating,I really love watching the
welders because at theuniversity.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
We can't.
No one's picked that one yet,Really.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
No, well, because they've got such a great setup
here.
This year that we can seethrough.
They've got the yellow screensand we can actually see what
they're working on, which isawesome.
I'm partial to carpentry.
I love watching those thingscome together.
And then everybody has to saybaking and cooking.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
So everyone has said baking and cooking.
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
I mean we're all starving by the end of the day.
We're all looking and going.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
oh, that looks really good and has been landscaping
landscape everyone loves likethat because they love seeing
the pile of dirt and into abeautiful garden right I wish I
could do it in my yard.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Yeah, yeah, right and like oh, that'd be a glorious
um, we actually laughed.
We went and saw the landscapingguys, so like we would love to
do that, except we.
Our ground is frozen solid bythe time we get to our territory
.
Flower beds.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Can you build flower beds on top of?
One thing figure something I'msure they're growing carrots in
the desert now in saudi arabia,so I'm sure anything is possible
, absolutely yeah well, and Ithink what the, what the
government's and what the whatcanada's really after and of
course, this is something youkind of have to protect itself
about is what's under that iceuh-huh, right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
What's under that?
Ice that everyone wants to getdibs on absolutely, because it's
oil, it's all right, it's theminerals, yep right, you got
lots of stuff under there thateveryone's kind of waiting for
and it's protected at this pointit is.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
It is where it's kind of hands off yeah now, how does
the skills world, you know,support that organic development
of their province?
Speaker 2 (21:54):
oh, the skills world isn't skill like our skills
group would be, definitely isunderstanding.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Because they're going to be the leaders of these
trades.
We are, we are.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Absolutely, and I think we do a really good job,
especially in the Yukon, ofworking hand in hand with the
indigenous groups and respectingtheir cultures, their
communities, their land.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Their land.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Yeah, exactly so.
I mean there's one thing tosupport the trades and training,
and we can absolutely do that,but also respect that this is
not our land.
Like this is we have to sharethis land and we have to respect
the land.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Yeah, and how much of that kind of ESG conversation
happens within your group.
You know to be like.
You guys are kind of like the,the stakeholders of the future
we are we are, you know what itactually comes up a lot um and
and coming from another provinceand not having as much of an
understanding as I have, I'veit's been a huge.
(22:49):
That's my learning curve well,where did you come from
originally?
Then?
Ontario, yeah, yeah, yeah,she's from ontario, I mean my
head office is in ontario yeah,I have to explain where
saskatchewan is.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Every conversation oh dear, come on guys.
Oh dear, that's.
That's definitely been mylearning curve since moving up
there it's been.
It has been that and it's beenenlightening.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
I've really, really enjoyed that part of it now in
terms of you know, getting outon the floor and checking them
all out.
Now, if you could go back intime for yourself, knowing what
you know of the trades now,which trade would you pick to be
?
Speaker 2 (23:25):
in to be in.
Okay, that's a toss-up.
I would.
I my my other plan when I wasin school was yeah, no, like
plan b solid plan b was aplumber believe it or not.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Yeah, yeah, great, everyone knows it's a great job.
You're always gonna need aplumber yeah, um.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
And then my other one .
I think, now that I know alittle bit more, would be heavy
equipment.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
I think just just the operator or mechanic.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Oh, that's two different trades.
Either you're driving themachine or you're fixing the
machine.
Oh man driving man.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Driving, driving, oh yeah, I've always thought that
that's a great job.
I feel like I wouldn't behealthy if I just drove all day.
I'd have to really be like.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
I got to go to the gym for two hours a day, because
you're sitting in a vehicle foreight hours a day.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
Oh man, but I love driving heavy equipment when I
heavy equipment Like when.
I learned to drive excavatorsand skid steers.
I was like this would be thebest job.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
So much fun.
Yeah, it's like playing in asandbox all day, every day, and
getting paid for it.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
That'd be amazing when you, when you're, you know,
working with the other EDsacross Canada and you're
planning out these things likenationals, and and you're
working with the skills staff,the nationals and you're working
with the skills staff, thenational skills staff.
You know how do you ensure thatyou're at the table?
Is everyone represented equally?
Like everyone gets a voice?
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Yeah, they are, we are, we are a.
Really we're really good atworking together.
We meet every couple of months.
We're always on, you know,phone, text, email away.
Everybody's chatting all thetime, sharing resources.
We're really really good atthat.
So I know I can call up anybodyfrom ontario, new brunswick,
the territories and just, youknow, spitball ideas and things
(25:05):
like that, and also workingtogether and finding like, okay,
this worked really well for us.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
I want to share it with you guys yeah, yeah, that's
great because there's always atendency for, like the stronger,
bigger teams, to take more of alead position yeah, yeah and I
think that's just organic.
Yeah, not necessarily wrong,more experience um, but as like
as a group, you want to be ableto make sure that everyone's got
the same voice at the roomright?
Speaker 2 (25:27):
yeah, we're doing really good with that, and my
experience corporate worldpreviously um, you don't get
that and it's no, you reallydon't, and it's hard to explain
that to people who haven't seenthat, but like you know, like
ontario's not going to talk tobc and quebec's not going to
talk to ontario, that happens,like I mean everywhere in that
trades world outside of skills.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yeah, that's a big issue.
It is the harmonization of thetrades, the like, the movement
ability within trades, withinprovinces.
These are discussions thathappen regularly and how do we
remove these barriers?
But it's like there's alwaysone province.
It's always either this one orthis one, or this one that
doesn't want to play nice yeah,like yeah come on.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Can't we just all just hit the table and work it
through?
Yeah, yeah, exactly, and andit's that's been so refreshing
having started the job here andand working with the other eds
across the country, is thateverybody's got.
Everybody's got to sayeverybody has an opinion,
everybody's valued yeah, can yousee yourself getting out of
skills?
Speaker 1 (26:23):
oh, no, no, no, no, like I don't think I've heard
anyone be like.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
This is my last year I think they have to take people
out of skills in a casket,that's usually how it goes.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I competed back when I was in high
school in ontario and reallyfor what it was manufacturing of
all things, and that shouldhave been my sign, yeah, that I
was going to end up inmanufacturing and skills, but I
didn't even know about skillswhen I was young.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
I don't know.
There's so many people thatdon't, yeah, and I was like I
was a very good young welder.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
I feel like I made up .
It may have been able to dosomething, but that's a mess,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yeah, no, I think once you get in, even I'm in
like I have recruited people andI'm like come on, join the
posse.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
It's going to be great.
One of us, one of us.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Exactly exactly.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
All right.
Last couple of questions.
You know in your two years thatyou've been working with skills
.
Now you obviously came in withyour own set of skills with
skills.
Now you obviously came in withyour own set of skills, skill
sets.
But here we talked lots aboutthe essential skills, the skills
for change.
It's a big part of the world.
What skills has skills taughtyou in the last couple?
Speaker 2 (27:24):
years.
Oh man, um, we're gonna saynumber skills and and I'm gonna
go to the the skills for success, kind of ideas I'm gonna go for
that yeah numeracy for sure.
Um for being in engineering.
I really suck at math, and nowI'm getting better at that.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
And then I think you're always working on
communication skills, right, andrealizing that not everybody
communicates via text anymore,right or not?
Everybody communicates viaphone call, but you have to be
able to understand who youraudience is and how the best way
is to communicate with them andwork towards that.
They don't have to come and fitinto your box, you have to come
into theirs.
So that's something I'vedefinitely been working on.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Awesome, awesome.
And then the last question.
You know, if you could hit thereset button and you're, and
you're looking at, you knowyourself as a youth and you're
seeing all these things whatwould you tell young you in
terms of getting pumped up forschool?
Speaker 2 (28:20):
oh gosh keep with it, go like keep with the skills.
Um, I I'm gonna get into alittle story.
Um, I was pushed into, you know, into college and university
right, even college was like oh,are you sure you should really
go to university?
Meanwhile I'm like I I pushedback.
I just wanted to go to college,I just wanted to get my
mechanical engineering, I wantedto get my hands on to things
right and ended up impactinghands on things.
Um way back then I was said youknow what plumbing?
Plumbing's pretty fun.
You can be your own boss, youcan do something like that.
So I definitely would havestuck with something with the
(28:41):
trades, because it's it's waymore fun, the people are way
better.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Yeah, you might have ended up in the same position
anyway fair enough which isawesome, because I mean the
trades led us all here somehowright, exactly, exactly it was
awesome.
Well, thank you so much forbeing on the show today.
This has been wonderful.
Thanks for making time, becausewe're here before the doors
even open.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
That was well planned on my part.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Yeah, that was fantastic so, and I appreciate
you coming in and being heretoday.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Absolutely, and for all the people that have been
following along, make sure youcheck out all the skills
episodes here from Regina 2025Skills Competitions.
There's going to be about 13 intotal.
So if you caught this one inthe middle, catch them all and
keep downloading, sharing andcommenting on our podcast.
We really appreciate yourfollow-up.
Thank you, catch you at thenext one.
We hope you enjoy the show.
(29:27):
Bye.
All right, I check, check.
Good, so I'm Max Duran.
Max Duran, cwb AssociationWelding Podcast podcast podcast.
Today we have a really coolguest welding podcast.
The show is about to begin.
Hello and welcome to anotheredition of the CWB Association
(00:27):
podcast.
This week we are in beautifulRegina, saskatchewan, for the
Skills National Competitions.
As a part of this week's job,we are interviewing the
executive directors of everyprovince and territory to get
the flavors of Canada from coastto coast to coast.
Today I have Katie Mooney here,who is the ED for UConn.
How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:48):
doing.
I'm well.
How are you this morning?
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I'm great, you know, I live here oh fantastic.
So this is nice, because I getto sleep in my bed I get to go
home.
I get to show my friends myfavorite restaurants, the
favorite places to go.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Love it and I think everyone's liking it.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Absolutely.
This is an awesome city.
So what's your firstimpressions of Regina?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
It is windy, holy cow , is it windy?
Speaker 1 (01:10):
It is always windy, here it is.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
But we get to see sunsets.
I'm used to seeing mountains,so the sun just kind of behind
the mountains.
So it's great to see thebeautiful sunsets every night.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
It.
How do you like the facility sofar?
What do you think of the setup?
Oh, it's perfect, it's gorgeous.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
There's lots of room for everybody to compete.
I'm definitely getting my stepsin this week, but it's amazing.
I'm really impressed with howthe building and everybody
that's running it and thevolunteers, it's been great.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
I've heard lots of great things about the staff and
the volunteers.
I've been kind of trapped here,but if you've been out and
around, tell me like, how hasthe experience been with
everyone?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
It's been great.
I mean, we've got thevolunteers, we've got everybody
from the NTCs, the volunteers,out on the floor, we've got the
volunteers that are manning thedoors and pointing everybody in
the right direction which hasbeen amazing.
I'm loving seeing the kids fromour National Alumni Committee.
They're everywhere.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
It's amazing they were running around like crazy
yesterday alumni committee.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
They're everywhere.
It's amazing.
They're running around likecrazy.
Yesterday, like they got theirstuff.
They certainly did.
They certainly did.
So it's been awesome, it's beenreally impressive awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
So let's talk about your team.
How many competitors have youbrought down?
What's your whole team,everyone included?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
absolutely so.
Competitors we have 18 thisyear, which is pretty good for
the uconn.
Um, we've got delegates I thinkwe've got about 20 delegates
this year as well and threestaff.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Awesome.
Now, out of those 18competitors, how many different
trades are represented there?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Oh, trick question here.
Okay, so we've got, I think.
Oh, I'm going to say 16.
Okay, yeah.
We've got a couple of teamsWe've got a team of two for
animation.
And then we've got a well, Iguess I'm not 16, because we've
got a couple in welding, we'vegot a couple in carpentry, um,
but we're 13, 14.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah, we're scattered around now I know that yukon
always has quite a strongshowing in welding absolutely I
know sky.
I know the yukon you well, theprogram there.
We run camps with yukon youevery year and with the skills
up north, um, what are the othertrades that perhaps people
don't know that uconn is strongin?
Speaker 2 (03:08):
oh gosh, okay.
Well, we're great for our umyeah, like you said, with our um
welding, um heavy equipment, wedo really well.
Our president of our board isactually in the teaches heavy
equipment technology which helpsum.
Another one that we're reallystrong in is actually um
mechanical cad.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Oh awesome yeah, yeah , we've got a great team there
and that would be such a greatcareer in the yukon.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, yeah yeah, um, what else?
We've got kids that are in.
Um, oh gosh, now I'm blanking.
This is fantastic all over all.
Wonderful, all over the place.
Yeah, they're fantasticeverywhere.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Carpentry, carpentry is another really big one, yeah
well and you know those are kindof the trades that are booming
in the north.
Right, when you look atconstruction, housing has been
an issue up north forever 100.
Hopefully now we can startmaking movements and trying to
get better infrastructure.
But you're going to only beable to do that with with our
trades people, right, you'regoing to need them up.
(04:03):
They're building stuff and doyou think you got enough?
Like I don't know if peopleunderstand the population
restrictions, the travelrestrictions of the north.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
It's wild, it's wild.
Do we have enough people?
Absolutely not.
We are desperate for tradespeople.
I love it because I get to seeall the trades people, but as
far as being also a resident ofthe yukon, and if you want to
get somebody in to do, if youneed to get somebody in to do
work at your house or you don't,you're not handy yourself
situation.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Oh man, it's a good luck situation absolutely
absolutely, and that's toughbecause we in the city were like
oh man, I can't get a plumberfor a week, but oh no, ours is
like months yeah, now as howlong have you been in the ed
role?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
ed role.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
It'd be just over two years now and I mean, what was
that like for you?
Do you have any background inthe trades?
Did you come into this fromtrades adjacent work?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
my favorite question trades adjacent absolutely.
Um.
I grew up as a kid of a techteacher.
My dad taught construction.
Growing up I went intopackaging engineering, of all
things which sounds reallybizarre but we were always
trades adjacent.
We were always working withelectricians, we were working
with the plumbers, we wereworking with everybody out in
factory floors.
So I was having to work hand inhand with them and then with
(05:17):
like marketing teams.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
So I kind of had a little bit of both sides.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
So I was always trades adjacent, had a hard one
with that one, and then when wemoved up to the Yukon, there's
not really much need forpackaging.
So we were driving around Ithink it was like the first week
and I saw the skills office andI was like that's where I'm
going and, funny enough, that'swhere I landed.
Well, what pulled?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
you up to the Yukon in the first place.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Oh, oh my husband was working up.
There we were.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
We had two houses going at the same time and kids
at home when it was, it was, itwas up for a challenge it was
covid, and we're just like let's, let's do it, let's up, let's
go for a challenge and anadventure one of the things that
that happens or that we talkabout in saskatchewan is that
visitors never leave peoplepeople don't know much about
saskatchewan, but when they comehere they tend to fall in love
and then they never leavebecause it's like easy living
(06:03):
here, right?
It's easy living yeah, I'veheard the same with the north.
Absolutely, you go visit thenorth and I have friends from
high school that went up therelike a one-year contract and
they never came back.
But what is it that attractspeople to the north?
Speaker 2 (06:17):
like you hear about, the high prices, the law you
can't find a plumber for monthslike the infrastructure, the
flying, it sounds all these arelike barriers, but still there's
got to be huge pros oh man, thework-life balance I'm telling
you everybody's in the same kindof mentality of yeah,
absolutely in the summer, ifit's a great, if it's a
beautiful day, in the afternoonon a friday, the town just
clears out yeah, just get out,there, yeah yeah, and there's
(06:39):
tons of opportunity for the kidsand there's tons of
opportunities for families andit's it's just a great place to
work and live.
It's I mean, the outdoors isliterally outside your back, you
know like out your back dooryou don't have to go drive an
hour or two to go camping, yeahright there, it's right there.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
And what about the question that everyone asks me
as well in the prairies?
What about winter?
Oh, cold and dark, yeah, but Imean, are you guys entertained?
Speaker 2 (07:06):
we are.
What do you like?
Speaker 1 (07:07):
I mean here we got snowmobiles and we do festivals
in the winter.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Oh yeah, yeah, you're , you're busy and I mean the
first two years feel a littletricky.
But once you get past that andyou realize that everybody's.
You know it might be dark outat eight o'clock in the morning
but everybody's up and going towork and going to school and
there's so many activities.
I mean we're we're used to it,right?
So you can definitely keep busyin the winter, it's fine, and
then as soon as February hits,then everybody goes outside
(07:30):
again and we're all very, verybusy.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
When you took this job on, like you said, you kind
of pointed and shot at thebuilding.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
I did.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
And we're like that's the job I want.
So how were you able to kind ofsurpass the learning curve?
Because that's something I'veheard lots about the EDs is that
you got to learn not just abouta trade, but like all trades.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
All the trades yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Right, and there's almost like an expectation to be
able to communicate and get thelingo and the acronyms.
Oh my God, there's so manyacronyms.
Right, that's so true.
Yeah, what was that like foryou you?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
know what it was really.
It was.
I hate to say it and I'm sorryfor the other eds.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
It was really easy you were there for it, I was
there for it, I I can speak thelike.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
I can speak the corporate talk and I can speak
the trade floor, talk and shoptalk and it's.
It's a really easy transition.
And then in between when I waspackaging engineering and the ed
role, I was also a collegeprofessor, so stick me in front
of anybody else.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yeah, yeah, yeah now, in terms of the one of the most
important pieces to any skillsteam within a province is being
able to find support fromindustry, getting those sponsors
, getting the, the supportersfor your program, and that can
be either with cash.
That can be either with cash.
(08:45):
It can be either withfacilities.
Time.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Time, all these things Now.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
obviously, in a larger center you're going to
have much more access to avariety of sponsors and
supporters.
How do you manage that in asmaller population?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
It can be challenging , but at the same time we find
some really, really, reallypassionate people and we find
that all over the place.
A lot of our volunteers thatare on the board are also
working.
They're going to bring in theiremployers.
They're going to bring in thetime and the money.
There We've got some reallygreat construction companies
that will support us.
We've got some really greathome hardware.
(09:22):
We've got the biggest homehardware in Canada, down the
street from our office.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
So we've got some really great supporters.
We've got some really greatvolunteers that, even if their
business can't give the money,they will give the time, they
will give the supplies.
Supplies in kind yeah exactlyYou've got to keep talking to
everybody and get out there andI found that you actually have
to like, go to their businessand everybody's busy.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
It's trades Like I just said like three months to
get a plumber.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
So you go out and you talk to people and you show up
on the shop floor and talk tothem there.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Yeah, now, when you came in two years ago, what were
some of the things that youenvisioned?
Your flavor of change, becausethat's what every new executive
director including myself,everybody you always want to
bring in your own flavor, yourown style of leadership, your
own style of management, whatwas it that you really wanted to
bring up yourself to UConn?
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Myself to UConn.
I had a really great idea andthen I kept talking to you and
it was gone.
I think my thing is that I'm Iwas new into the position.
There were people that havebeen there for years and years
and you just build off of thatyeah, they know what they're
doing.
They know what you're doing myjob is to remove barriers and
(10:36):
just keep everything going asbest as I can.
Um, the only thing that I'vereally kind of been pushing for
is getting um kids interestedthat are even before high school
right, because once you getthem into high school I can hook
them no problem.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
That's called.
We've talked about that lotsthis week about what age do you
start?
Speaker 2 (10:52):
oh man, I will get them as early as grade six yeah,
grade five grade, five gradesix yeah little fun activities
and I just get some hooked andbe like skills, come on, you
know, like chat with us and chatwith us when we get to high
school and and you know we we'vegot your back.
We want, we want you to succeed, yeah and what was the?
Speaker 1 (11:09):
the reception to you as a new ed?
You know you got it.
You got staff there for a while.
You come in with all thesecrazy ideas and stuff.
You know, like how did you feellike you just fit right into
the family because you know I'vebeen involved with skills for
over a decade now.
It's like you're part of themafia, like I'm sure you got the
mafia speech right.
Absolutely, absolutely.
You know what?
It was welcomed with open arms.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
We were really lucky.
Our board is awesome.
They've been around forever.
They've got your back, nomatter what Our staff.
We had all started within aboutsix months of each other, oh
wow.
Yeah, so we were all brandspanking new and just figuring
it out as we go in.
So that was a lot of fun andwe've got a really great
supportive crew now.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
So we're like a well-oiled machine at this point
Now, in terms of thecompetitors that have come down,
a lot of the northerncommunities are, I find, much
more community-orientated,family-orientated, very
tight-knit groups of people,orientated, family orient,
absolutely very tight-knitgroups of people.
Now the support for some ofthese kids, coming down south
here for the competition.
It's got to be a little bithigher because there's some fear
(12:15):
, like I heard yesterday, one ofthe one of the competitors
coming down from nunavut um hadnever seen a tree in person oh
wow, because they're from wayne.
Yeah, yeah, yeah right, and I'dnever even thought of that yeah
, yeah.
So you know what's it like tobring your competitors, your
crew, to here.
Is there a bit of a cultureshock for some of them?
Have they like?
Maybe some of them have neverflown?
Speaker 2 (12:36):
absolutely yeah, this year we've been really lucky um
all of us.
All of our competitors havealready been out um out of the
yukon okay all right, we have alittle bit yeah we've got some
experience, but we've we've hadthe years previously where kids
haven't been on a plane beforeor haven't been out of the Yukon
before and, um, it's, it's beeninteresting sometimes we have
to have some.
We have to have some pep talksometimes um yeah, it's been,
(13:00):
it's, it's so um rewarding to beable to bring these kids here
and be like you know what youdid so great at the territorials
.
Let's bring you to the nationalcompetition, and it's going to
be a lot.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
But you're going to do great yeah, yeah, we've got
our staff's amazing at doing peptalks um.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
They do them most evenings and probably for about
a month leading up to thecompetition it's important, it's
really important, yes, thesecompetitors.
Sometimes they just stress outlike, well, we're going against
the best of the best.
I'm like, you're the best ofthe best.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Let's do this.
You deserve a seat at thattable, yeah absolutely so that's
always fun.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
I like doing that.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
And once you're here, then it's go time.
Absolutely Now how do you keepthem from not collapsing or
freaking out?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Do you know that answer?
Speaker 1 (13:47):
I always try to start with the basics.
Eat, well, yeah.
Drink water, yeah.
Sleep, sleep, sleep.
Sleep's a tricky one.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Yeah, it is, we do a really good job at feeding
everybody and making sureeverybody's supported, Like call
home, Like don't forget tocheck.
Have you checked?
In with your parents today.
We usually end up with a roomat the whatever hotel that we're
staying at.
I just load with snacks.
And I'm like you guys, takewhat you need, make sure that
you're prepared, and then youfind all your competitors and
your delegates in there at likemidnight just chatting away.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
And, like now, you have to go to bed, so I put my
mom coat on and that's yeah.
Yeah, get out of here.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
So, yeah, that's kind of fun and I love watching the
kids and they come in with somuch enthusiasm and I'm like,
yeah, yeah, that's awesome,that's awesome.
Um, let's see how you do at theend of the first day of
competition because you're gonnabe exhausted.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
I was exhausted, I'm not even competing.
Same same thing.
Everyone's like are we goingout partying tonight?
Speaker 2 (14:37):
I'm like no, absolutely not.
Tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Tonight's the night, yeah, yeah, exactly now for your
, for your competitors that arehere.
Are there any that are on theworld skills train that are, you
know, trying to get that, thatspot on world skills?
Or maybe are a past gold andthis is their second year?
Ah well, I'm sure we've gotsome that have got their eyes on
the world skills we we're nottalking about it, we're we're
keeping it as low key aspossible, don't want to add that
(15:01):
layer.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
We don't want to add that layer right now, let's get
through the next day and see howwe do um but we've got some
kids that are really gung-ho,like they are they're, you know,
my, my goal in life be a welderlike they want to go to china,
yeah, and then we've got some ofthe kids are like let's just do
this, let's see what happens.
So yeah, we've got a reallygood attitude across the team of
we don't necessarily want towin, some of us absolutely.
(15:23):
It's that is our goal, um, butsome of us are just like we're
here for the experience, we'rehere to have fun.
Let's see how it goes, which iswhich is always exciting on my
part what's the communicationlike between the other northern
territories?
Because we've got a posse.
I know, I know you do, that'swhy I'm leading you there
because there there's so muchgeography to cover there is is
(15:44):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Like I mean, people don't realize how large the
territories are, like I'm noteven looking at the islands,
like I mean, like it's huge.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
But the populations are dispersed.
Well, they're dispersed too.
A lot of small 100-person towns, you know 150-person
communities.
Now, how do you work thatcommunication, those logistics
between all the territories, theposse, yeah, and even within
your, your province?
Okay.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
So I'll start off with in our territory, um we try
to get kind of like one atleast point person in every
community and I will send mygirls out all over the place.
Our staff, we're like hey,guess where you're going next
week like you're going five anda half hours away, for you know
a camp um.
So we try to do a really goodjob having a contact everywhere
um as far as the the territoryposse um we, we we have our own
(16:36):
outside kind of calls and stufflike that where we're comparing
notes and trying to figure outtravel plans, sometimes together
, um it, it's, it's, it's achallenge and we have a lot of
like it's a challenge being theed for the territory.
So I think having somebody elsethat understands those
challenges of yeah, kind of same, barriers same barriers and
(16:56):
it's and same fun challenge likeit's the same funny things that
can happen.
Yeah, same wins too, and justlike how can we work together,
you know, do you have any ideasfor this, or yeah how do we get
out to some of these communitiesthat you know like we'll get
snowed out, like we wereplanning on going there, but the
plane just said nope, not today.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
So what do?
Yeah, and that's the crazything I keep hearing.
It's like yeah, we couldn'tmake it to your town because the
plane I'm like and we're like.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
No, no, that plane, it's a plane.
You need a plane to get there.
There are no roads to go tothat community.
Yeah, that's been fun andtrying to figure out ways to get
our stuff out there.
That's got to be so expensive.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Oh, let's not talk about that.
Well, maybe we should Fundersyou got to realize if you want
to find that stuff and developthose communities in the north.
The training programs we got tolook at infrastructure.
We got to look atinfrastructure.
We got to look at travel.
(17:52):
Why is there no roads?
Like is it?
Speaker 2 (17:53):
because they can't be built, or is it because no one
wants to pay to build them?
Or do the communities not wantthem?
Right, there's another.
There's another angle.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Yeah are we looking at?
If we're going to fertilize,you know, the, the and
strengthen the air service, wellthen you're gonna need more
pilots and more landing stripsand more quality planes, cause
you'd also want it to be safe.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Yeah, that's a huge part of it is how can?
Speaker 1 (18:12):
we get there safely.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
How can we get there reliably and efficiently?
And that's that's a big one forus and, oh yeah, our funding
for travel is huge compared toother stuff, just because we
have to get out to those placessafely and and, as often as we
possibly can now, what are yourpartners like in terms of camps
and and running other things?
Speaker 1 (18:29):
like is there lots of groups and associations up
there?
Speaker 2 (18:32):
there's tons of groups and not-for-profit groups
.
Um, we actually find thatsometimes we kind of overlap
each other's, but because we'rea small community, we overlap
each other, catch it and we'relike all right, so we're gonna
work together and do somethingtogether.
Yeah, yeah, which is reallyawesome um we find that we work
a lot with the university upthere um universe yukon you yeah
(18:53):
, we're huge with them.
Why we work with them often.
Um, so we work with a lot ofother groups and and kind of tag
team activities when we can,which is always we share
resources, share the ride evensometimes, right, yeah?
Speaker 1 (19:06):
because it saves a lot of money to partner and you
double.
I always tell like evenexecutives, when I'm in
executive meetings they want tohave like 30 meetings.
I'd rather have one meetingwith 30 items you know like, and
I think about that in terms ofsponsors and sponsorships too.
It's like you don't want tohave 15 phone calls coming in.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
If the 15 people can get together and work out a
program, and then it's just onephone call, one sit down, and
this is what we'll do.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Yeah, it's way easier to swallow, yeah.
Yeah, we actually have a greatgroup um where we get kind of um
, all the differentnot-for-profits together and the
university together and acouple of the other groups like
just um industry, people, yeahwe get together once a month and
compare it, yeah, and we kindof have a border like, okay,
which age group are you going to?
Which age group are you goingto what?
What are you?
Speaker 1 (19:53):
doing with those.
It's awesome.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Yeah, that's really fun to do, and then you kind of
have keep tabs on what everybodyelse is up to so you don't step
on any toes, and also where youcan support, yeah like oh, I
see, there's a gap here let mefill that one for you, because
I've got it yeah, yeah, nowyou've been here a couple.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
This is day two now it is did you have the full walk
of all the floor?
Oh, my feet tell me I did forsure.
So, as a spectator, which areyour top three trades to
spectate?
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Fun one.
Okay, I really like spectating,I really love watching the
welders because at theuniversity.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
We can't.
No one's picked that one yet,Really.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
No, well, because they've got such a great setup
here.
This year that we can seethrough.
They've got the yellow screensand we can actually see what
they're working on, which isawesome.
I'm partial to carpentry.
I love watching those thingscome together.
And then everybody has to saybaking and cooking.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
So everyone has said baking and cooking.
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
I mean we're all starving by the end of the day.
We're all looking and going.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
oh, that looks really good and has been landscaping
landscape everyone loves likethat because they love seeing
the pile of dirt and into abeautiful garden right I wish I
could do it in my yard.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Yeah, yeah, right and like oh, that'd be a glorious
um, we actually laughed.
We went and saw the landscapingguys, so like we would love to
do that, except we.
Our ground is frozen solid bythe time we get to our territory
.
Flower beds.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Can you build flower beds on top of?
One thing figure something I'msure they're growing carrots in
the desert now in saudi arabia,so I'm sure anything is possible
, absolutely yeah well, and Ithink what the, what the
government's and what the whatcanada's really after and of
course, this is something youkind of have to protect itself
about is what's under that iceuh-huh, right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
What's under that?
Ice that everyone wants to getdibs on absolutely, because it's
oil, it's all right, it's theminerals, yep right, you got
lots of stuff under there thateveryone's kind of waiting for
and it's protected at this pointit is.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
It is where it's kind of hands off yeah now, how does
the skills world, you know,support that organic development
of their province?
Speaker 2 (21:54):
oh, the skills world isn't skill like our skills
group would be, definitely isunderstanding.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Because they're going to be the leaders of these
trades.
We are, we are.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Absolutely, and I think we do a really good job,
especially in the Yukon, ofworking hand in hand with the
indigenous groups and respectingtheir cultures, their
communities, their land.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Their land.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Yeah, exactly so.
I mean there's one thing tosupport the trades and training,
and we can absolutely do that,but also respect that this is
not our land.
Like this is we have to sharethis land and we have to respect
the land.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Yeah, and how much of that kind of ESG conversation
happens within your group.
You know to be like.
You guys are kind of like the,the stakeholders of the future
we are we are, you know what itactually comes up a lot um and
and coming from another provinceand not having as much of an
understanding as I have, I'veit's been a huge.
(22:49):
That's my learning curve well,where did you come from
originally?
Then?
Ontario, yeah, yeah, yeah,she's from ontario, I mean my
head office is in ontario yeah,I have to explain where
saskatchewan is.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Every conversation oh dear, come on guys.
Oh dear, that's.
That's definitely been mylearning curve since moving up
there it's been.
It has been that and it's beenenlightening.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
I've really, really enjoyed that part of it now in
terms of you know, getting outon the floor and checking them
all out.
Now, if you could go back intime for yourself, knowing what
you know of the trades now,which trade would you pick to be
?
Speaker 2 (23:25):
in to be in.
Okay, that's a toss-up.
I would.
I my my other plan when I wasin school was yeah, no, like
plan b solid plan b was aplumber believe it or not.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Yeah, yeah, great, everyone knows it's a great job.
You're always gonna need aplumber yeah, um.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
And then my other one .
I think, now that I know alittle bit more, would be heavy
equipment.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
I think just just the operator or mechanic.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Oh, that's two different trades.
Either you're driving themachine or you're fixing the
machine.
Oh man driving man.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Driving, driving, oh yeah, I've always thought that
that's a great job.
I feel like I wouldn't behealthy if I just drove all day.
I'd have to really be like.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
I got to go to the gym for two hours a day, because
you're sitting in a vehicle foreight hours a day.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
Oh man, but I love driving heavy equipment when I
heavy equipment Like when.
I learned to drive excavatorsand skid steers.
I was like this would be thebest job.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
So much fun.
Yeah, it's like playing in asandbox all day, every day, and
getting paid for it.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
That'd be amazing when you, when you're, you know,
working with the other EDsacross Canada and you're
planning out these things likenationals, and and you're
working with the skills staff,the nationals and you're working
with the skills staff, thenational skills staff.
You know how do you ensure thatyou're at the table?
Is everyone represented equally?
Like everyone gets a voice?
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Yeah, they are, we are, we are a.
Really we're really good atworking together.
We meet every couple of months.
We're always on, you know,phone, text, email away.
Everybody's chatting all thetime, sharing resources.
We're really really good atthat.
So I know I can call up anybodyfrom ontario, new brunswick,
the territories and just, youknow, spitball ideas and things
(25:05):
like that, and also workingtogether and finding like, okay,
this worked really well for us.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
I want to share it with you guys yeah, yeah, that's
great because there's always atendency for, like the stronger,
bigger teams, to take more of alead position yeah, yeah and I
think that's just organic.
Yeah, not necessarily wrong,more experience um, but as like
as a group, you want to be ableto make sure that everyone's got
the same voice at the roomright?
Speaker 2 (25:27):
yeah, we're doing really good with that, and my
experience corporate worldpreviously um, you don't get
that and it's no, you reallydon't, and it's hard to explain
that to people who haven't seenthat, but like you know, like
ontario's not going to talk tobc and quebec's not going to
talk to ontario, that happens,like I mean everywhere in that
trades world outside of skills.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yeah, that's a big issue.
It is the harmonization of thetrades, the like, the movement
ability within trades, withinprovinces.
These are discussions thathappen regularly and how do we
remove these barriers?
But it's like there's alwaysone province.
It's always either this one orthis one, or this one that
doesn't want to play nice yeah,like yeah come on.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Can't we just all just hit the table and work it
through?
Yeah, yeah, exactly, and andit's that's been so refreshing
having started the job here andand working with the other eds
across the country, is thateverybody's got.
Everybody's got to sayeverybody has an opinion,
everybody's valued yeah, can yousee yourself getting out of
skills?
Speaker 1 (26:23):
oh, no, no, no, no, like I don't think I've heard
anyone be like.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
This is my last year I think they have to take people
out of skills in a casket,that's usually how it goes.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I competed back when I was in high
school in ontario and reallyfor what it was manufacturing of
all things, and that shouldhave been my sign, yeah, that I
was going to end up inmanufacturing and skills, but I
didn't even know about skillswhen I was young.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
I don't know.
There's so many people thatdon't, yeah, and I was like I
was a very good young welder.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
I feel like I made up .
It may have been able to dosomething, but that's a mess,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yeah, no, I think once you get in, even I'm in
like I have recruited people andI'm like come on, join the
posse.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
It's going to be great.
One of us, one of us.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Exactly exactly.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
All right.
Last couple of questions.
You know in your two years thatyou've been working with skills
.
Now you obviously came in withyour own set of skills with
skills.
Now you obviously came in withyour own set of skills, skill
sets.
But here we talked lots aboutthe essential skills, the skills
for change.
It's a big part of the world.
What skills has skills taughtyou in the last couple?
Speaker 2 (27:24):
years.
Oh man, um, we're gonna saynumber skills and and I'm gonna
go to the the skills for success, kind of ideas I'm gonna go for
that yeah numeracy for sure.
Um for being in engineering.
I really suck at math, and nowI'm getting better at that.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
And then I think you're always working on
communication skills, right, andrealizing that not everybody
communicates via text anymore,right or not?
Everybody communicates viaphone call, but you have to be
able to understand who youraudience is and how the best way
is to communicate with them andwork towards that.
They don't have to come and fitinto your box, you have to come
into theirs.
So that's something I'vedefinitely been working on.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Awesome, awesome.
And then the last question.
You know, if you could hit thereset button and you're, and
you're looking at, you knowyourself as a youth and you're
seeing all these things whatwould you tell young you in
terms of getting pumped up forschool?
Speaker 2 (28:20):
oh gosh keep with it, go like keep with the skills.
Um, I I'm gonna get into alittle story.
Um, I was pushed into, you know, into college and university
right, even college was like oh,are you sure you should really
go to university?
Meanwhile I'm like I I pushedback.
I just wanted to go to college,I just wanted to get my
mechanical engineering, I wantedto get my hands on to things
right and ended up impactinghands on things.
Um way back then I was said youknow what plumbing?
Plumbing's pretty fun.
You can be your own boss, youcan do something like that.
So I definitely would havestuck with something with the
(28:41):
trades, because it's it's waymore fun, the people are way
better.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Yeah, you might have ended up in the same position
anyway fair enough which isawesome, because I mean the
trades led us all here somehowright, exactly, exactly it was
awesome.
Well, thank you so much forbeing on the show today.
This has been wonderful.
Thanks for making time, becausewe're here before the doors
even open.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
That was well planned on my part.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Yeah, that was fantastic so, and I appreciate
you coming in and being heretoday.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Absolutely, and for all the people that have been
following along, make sure youcheck out all the skills
episodes here from Regina 2025Skills Competitions.
There's going to be about 13 intotal.
So if you caught this one inthe middle, catch them all and
keep downloading, sharing andcommenting on our podcast.
We really appreciate yourfollow-up.
Thank you, catch you at thenext one.
We hope you enjoy the show.
(29:27):
Bye.
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