August 11, 2025 • 34 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 makes Skills Canada British Columbia unique is its commitment to balancing high-profile competitions with genuine grassroots initiatives. Michelle Skelly, Executive Director, shares how regional competitions serve as gateways for youth in remote communities to discover trades careers they might never have considered. From northern territories requiring winter mountain crossings to island communities dependent on ferry schedules, her team navigates geographical challenges to ensure equal access to opportunities.
Website: https://skillscanada.bc.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
What did you think about this episode? Send a text message to the show!
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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.
My name is Max Ron and thisweek we are going to be here in
beautiful Regina, Saskatchewan,and we are recording editions
with the executive directors ofall the skills people across
Canada.
Now this has been super fun.
I've been learning about allthe provinces and territories
and today we have MichelleSkelly from beautiful British
(00:48):
Columbia.
How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Great.
Thank you.
It's so exciting to be here.
I'm like finally see everybodyin person and see it all
happening, after so much youknow behind the scenes to get it
going.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
All the buildup, all the buildup of all the years.
That's right Now.
How long have you beenexecutive director in BC?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
So it'll be just coming up to two years, so I'm
one of the newbies.
Yeah, you're pretty fresh.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
I mean, I've had everything from six months or
three months, I think, forNunavut, to 27 years.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yes, yes, there's a broad spectrum of us all.
I have been with SkillsBC,however, for just over 10 years.
Okay, in what capacity have youbeen working with?
Speaker 1 (01:29):
them.
Oh, so I think, as we call it,we are all the jack of all
trades.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
So I was doing Inspire presentations, classroom
presentations, social mediacommunications.
I come from a communicationsbackground as well.
I was doing everythingorganizing the competition and
program director.
Director programs as well doingour programs.
So I had been doing dabbling inpretty much everything in
(01:53):
skills we see before thisposition, so it was a good
transition.
So what pulled?
Speaker 1 (01:57):
you into the skills world in the first place?
Do you have a trades background, or what is it that led you
into that world?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
You know, I actually wish I had a trades background,
because you know, as I get somany people saying if I had only
known you know, that thisexisted, but I actually came
from a communications background, so I have a degree in
communications from Simon FraserUniversity.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
That'll serve you very well in this role as ED,
though.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
It has and it served me well.
I actually came from prior toSkills.
I was with what's called theResource Training Organization,
okay, and we oversaw theresource sector trades at BC.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
So from mining, shipbuilding, oil and gas, pulp
and paper, solid wood utilities,and so all the trades under the
welding was and paper, solidwood utilities, and so all the
trades under the welding was oneof them.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Good, but we're everywhere yeah absolutely, and
so we worked with those sectorsand those employers to promote
trades, careers within thosesectors.
So we would work on theprogramming and we were kind of
the umbrella of.
At the time was called theIndustry Training Authority in
BC.
They're now called SkilledTrades BC.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Right, okay.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, and so so a lot of that was doing.
You know a lot of things thatSkills BC does as well, which
was promoting the trades toyouth, making sure the awareness
was out there, doing someactivities, you know, bringing
industry in.
For instance, we worked withDepartment of National Defense
in Esquimalt, bringing the kidsthere and the youth and giving
(03:30):
them a chance to see what arethese trades behind the scenes.
Get behind it, yeah, and samewith, you know, C-SPAN shipyards
, going onto the shipyards andseeing what's happening here and
there's huge hires for the areaAbsolutely Wow.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Like the, you know the welders, you know what's
happening here and there's hugehires for the area, absolutely
Wow.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Like the, you know the welders, you know they're
seeing them in action.
And or tech, up up in trail,you know seeing them again
getting behind the scenes andseeing what's happening up there
.
So so that was a good segueinto SkillsBC where again we
just you know we're our focus isall of the the um provinces and
territories are is to topromote the skills, skill,
(04:08):
trades and technologies andprovide the opportunity around
competition and programs toshowcase all the opportunities
you know within bc yeah, and youcan hear all the kids coming in
now.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
You know this is exciting here come all the high
school kids, which is great.
Now, when you came in as ed,what was the learning curve like
?
Because I mean it's kind oflike drinking from the fire hose
coming into the skills familyyeah because there's.
It's not just one trade or acouple trades, it's all the
trades, right, and then theconnections and all that stuff,
(04:41):
the acronyms, the terminology,the language.
What was that like for you?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Coming into this role from my previous role was.
You know definitely a learningcurve, but on the other hand,
because I'd been with skills fora long time, I didn't know the
acronyms.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah, yeah, and you're right, there are a lot of
acronyms.
There's a lot of acronyms, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
And you know for new people coming in.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
And you know for new people coming in.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
We just need a little tutorial on acronyms alone.
But yeah, so that.
But on the other hand, I hadbeen working with the ED
previous ED on sponsorship, onprogramming on.
You know I had a lot of thecontacts as well and I knew a
lot of the people.
So there was definitely a hugeadvantage to having already been
working within skills for along time.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Yeah to having already been working within
skills for a long time.
Yeah, and what was the firstthings you noticed when you came
into skills in terms of wantingfor you to bring your vision?
Every ED that comes in has anidea of what they'd like to see,
what they'd like to grow.
What were kind of like thefirst things on your list?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
I would say again, coming from a previous role in
the resource sector, trades too,and I think really showcasing
the student, like I guess whatyou would, we would say is we've
talked about this, you know,with our board and with our
staff is we're all aboutcompetitions, but we're also
about grassroots and aboutproviding that awareness to
(06:04):
students all across the provincethat you know might not get the
opportunity to see what, what'savailable out there.
So so kind of a balance betweenthe grassroots and getting you
know tools in their hands.
Organic, yeah, yeah and that'swhy we really focus on our
regional competitions across theprovince as well.
I know not every memberorganization does regionals, but
(06:26):
we really feel that's importantand so that we can get to, you
know, up north and on the island.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
And you get more people's eyes on it, right, yeah
?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
exactly and then not to say you know, we're all about
the competitions as well, andso we kind of balance that
between let's get you know toolsin hands of middle school
students, get them doing middleschool competitions and things
like that, but also focus on youknow the skills of competing as
well.
So I think really the balancewas also getting in the
(06:56):
classrooms.
We were doing Inspirepresentations.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
And the Inspire are the Indigenous-based
presentations, aren't they?
Speaker 2 (07:03):
No, they're not Indigenous, but some of the
programs like when we're up infort nate, fort nelson or fort
st john, there's a highindigenous population yeah, okay
so, for instance, in fortnelson we did have an indigenous
presenter okay, up there andthat worked really well.
And just again, um, sometimesit's the teachers that aren't
aware as well, right?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
so those counselors, teacher network.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah, so the career educators, you know, getting the
awareness to them too.
And the teachers, becausesometimes we go in the class and
some of the teachers were likeI didn't know, no, there's no,
and you know, the careereducators are directing them to
maybe university degrees andthings like that where we're
providing that opportunity thatyou don't necessarily have to go
get a four-year degree and youknow all those key facts that
(07:44):
apprenticeship is earn while youlearn.
You're not having a hugestudent debt, your um freedom.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
You know like just that financial freedom is huge
right now yeah, like I one of mydaughters, or sorry, one of my
son's friends was over and waslike the, they're millennials,
and they're, I guess they'relike young millennials and uh,
and they're like, oh, you know,today's kids will never buy a
house.
I'm like, yeah, be a welder.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Exactly what are you talking about?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
That's like uh yeah, you can buy a house Like you,
just pick the right trade Right.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Right, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
You know, I've.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
I've directed my neighbors kids as well, they're
that, you know, come out of highhigh school.
They're not quite sure and Isaid, and one of them's gone
into um electrical and anotherone into refrigeration you know,
that's a big one that pays welland and we need refrigeration
as well.
So so there's, you know, yeah,there's definitely tons of
opportunities and we've justreally want to spread the word
(08:40):
of of that these opportunitiesexist and we work with, you know
, a lot of post-secondary acrossthe whole province, because
we're very spread out.
We have 13 regions in BC that wedeal with, so we have 13
regionals.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
That's a lot.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
That's a lot to coordinate it's so you know
we're super busy all the time,but you know January to March is
particularly busy with ourregionals, which really mostly
focuses in March.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
So no, no downtime really January, March, april.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
May, june, july, august, July, august, september.
It's it's.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
It's yeah, it's one of those industries.
I think that probably all themember organizations have talked
about that, you know it's.
It's kind of one of those jobswhere it's a build up, build up,
build up and maybe a little bitof downtime, but it's not your
kind of nine to five just no,there's definitely like timing,
the portions of the year thatare like very specific goals
(09:35):
that you need to work towardsright exactly and and plus
you're working around schoolsystems and semester systems and
you know different places havedifferent times and the pd
availability of the teachers andthere's a lot that you try to
line up to make everyone haveaccess right oh, absolutely yeah
, it's and and again.
Back to those teachers too, iswhere you know we realize the
(09:59):
getting the teachers to ourprovincials, to our regions, to
those inspire class andpresentations, because they're
often the people that aredirecting the students and you
want to inspire them absolutely,and the parents so we really
push, you know, promoting the toget the parents out to
provincials and and come andspectate.
This year we had, uh, I think wehad over seven, yeah seven,
(10:20):
7500 spectators.
So for, for, like, that's ourhighest sort of year that we
think we have on record, and wehad over 90 buses of students
come in, so you know, very, veryexciting provincials this year,
and here we are now atnationals and we've got 61
competitors here.
So again you know higher thanwe've had over the past few
(10:44):
years.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
I was going to ask you what's your full team,
what's everyone that's here?
Speaker 2 (10:49):
You mean which competitions?
Speaker 1 (10:50):
No, you've got 61 competitors.
Then you've got staff, you'vegot mentors.
Oh, right?
Speaker 2 (10:55):
So yeah, we have four staff.
And then we have 40, I think wehave 106 of us all in total,
that's a big team, yeah 106 withus all in total, total.
So we have the delegates.
Yeah, so a lot of you knowpeople from the college coaches,
chaperones, judges uh, you knowa whole gang of us yeah, yeah,
but it's great, it's, it's, it'sso exciting and that everybody
(11:17):
is.
It's just amazing.
And and the volunteers that wehave, all that they do we, you
know, like all of us, wecouldn't do it without all of
them.
And it really does take avillage to put on a provincial
or put on a regional and uh, youknow we're a small, we're a
small staff, we're just four,right now so you know, we
certainly can't do it all and wereally really appreciate that
(11:40):
that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
The hard work, that that everybody does now, in
terms of you know, gettingeveryone, everyone together and
coming to nationals you knowthat process because you cover,
like you said, 13 regions hasgot to be a formidable task.
It is a formidable task.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
So, yeah, you know, we close the doors to
provincials and everyone says,oh, take a breather.
We're like, yeah, no no we'reoff to the races now, and now
she's, and we've done a few newthings which have really worked
well, because we're so spreadout, we can't have, you know,
team meetings together before wefly, wherever we're flying to
(12:19):
every year, so this year, orsorry we started last year.
Uh, zoom sessions um just tofront load everybody, stay high,
have everyone introducethemselves, you know, and just
start to gather and give themall the information that they
need to know um, because thereis a lot of information, then
they're excited, they're nervous, um and uh.
(12:40):
So if we can, you know, givethem all that information, we
can answer all the questionsthey have.
And it's funny because, um, andthe first Zoom, none of them
would put their cameras on.
And we were like you know, comeand put your cameras on,
introduce yourself and veryslowly like the next Zoom
meeting we had a few and then wehad our meeting here in the
(13:01):
morning and they were, you know.
I said, well, no, putting yourcameras on, and now we're here
face to face.
We're here in real life, and soit's, but it's you.
You know, for some of them.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
This is the first time they've ever flown.
I was gonna ask you.
You know, because you know whenI talk to the territories
especially, you have a wholegroup of people that have never
some.
One of the great statements Iheard is that one of the
competitors from nunavut hadnever seen a tree right, because
they're from way up north, likepermafrost, yeah, and so in bc,
obviously it's not that remote,but there's some very remote
areas of bc absolutely right soyou probably have some people
(13:36):
who've never, you know, left theprovince, never flown.
How do you start easing thenerves?
How do you keep everyonerelaxed, yet pumped up?
Speaker 2 (13:46):
how do we do that well again with these zoom
sessions and and calls and andyou know, just, actually one of
the things that's worked reallywell is, you know, sometimes we
get repeat competitors and thenwe even have people which we
have come full circle.
They're now judges, they'reinstructors, but they were a
competitor before.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Actually, we have Shoshana Blair, who was an
alumni and we have her full timeon our team now.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
good, so just giving them reassurance and messages
like, hey, I've been there, I'vebeen through what you're about
to go through.
You know I'm here for you thisis what it was like.
You're gonna have memories tolast a lifetime yeah and you
know you're gonna look back and,no matter how you do, um, you
got here, you got to nationalsand that, in and of itself, is
(14:31):
just spectacular.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
I mean this you will, you know, you put that on your
resume and you are going to be,you know, set for life,
basically all these kids, allthese competitors I shouldn't
say kids, because some are older, but all these competitors
they're gonna be fine, not onlyjust because they're at this
level of talent, but becausethey're at this level of
maturity with in terms of beingout there making themselves
(14:54):
vulnerable.
You know that that is a hugestep in professionalism.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Absolutely, and to have the capability to be, you
know, calm under pressure, tocommunicate with new people that
you've never met, to go to anew place, and you know, we talk
about all those skills forsuccess with them adaptability,
adapting to an environment,adapting to the tools, um, all
those things that that we, youknow, covering the skills for
success too.
It's just yeah, like you know,you say, no matter how you do
(15:23):
and no matter what the outcomeis, you have taken a huge step
to advancing your yourself andyour career and you know, you
know you're going to do amazingout there.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Yeah, yeah.
Now what's your firstimpressions of Regina?
You know you're coming in.
Have you been to Regina before?
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Years and years ago.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Yeah, this didn't exist, you know what do?
You think of the venue?
What do you think of the town?
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Venue is amazing.
I think everybody's done such agreat job here.
I I really think it's a greatvenue, the town, you know what
it's.
I was pleasantly surprised, Ihave to say, with a few things
um at the well, the weather'sspectacular so you can't.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
We're really blessed here.
I've had a few people commenton the weather being like I
haven't seen a cloud all week.
I'm like you're not going tosee one until september.
It's, that's saskatchewan, yeah, and I love that.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
So it's uh it's know, waxana Lake.
Did I say that?
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Waxana Waxana yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
That park is amazing.
We went there yesterday andwent to somewhere to eat on the
lake.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Did you go to Willow the Bar?
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Willow restaurant.
Yes, we did, isn't it beautifulit is.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Were you out on the water on the deck?
Yes, it was just spectacularand, funnily enough, two tables
down was skills alberta, so someof them were there too.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
So, yes, we found the great spot and good, good, you
know, did the pathways.
So so, yeah, and I I've heardthe museums are great here and I
know some of our if you like,dinosaurs especially.
There's a lot of dinosaurs,yeah, a lot of the competitors
like the dinosaurs, and I knowsome of them have made it out to
the museum, so so yeah, I thinkthere's some you know some
great coffee places we heardabout?
Speaker 1 (16:52):
yeah, it's interesting because, oh sorry,
go ahead because I think thatthere, when you don't travel the
country, you tend to hearpeople say oh, that province is
good, this province is bad, thisprovince is good, they're all
great they're all great indifferent ways.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
yeah, and you know, one thing that people have noted
and I've noticed, it's thepeople here too Everybody has
been so friendly.
And so the hotel has been.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Well, we call ourselves a host city.
I can see it, because we loveit.
We love hosting and everybody'sjust really friendly.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
So I definitely say it's been one of the friendliest
places that we've been.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
I'm glad.
So it's no.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
And you know, one of the things that we were saying
is that in bc we have themountains right.
So and there's, we love themountains but the sun sets
faster.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
So here we're, like wow that you can still see the
sun.
Yeah, it's like sunny from like5 am till like 11 yeah, and
that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
So you know, like there's different things that
you and if you, can catch asunset here.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
They're beautiful.
It's every color you can thinkof, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
No, so we're always grateful for the different
places that we get to visit andhappy to be here.
And the flight was much easier.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
It was a two-hour flight, so Zip zoom, yeah, nice
and easy.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
The kids weren't, you know, as tired.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Well, and the time, change right, change right.
It's only a two hour, I think,from now, from bc to us right
now.
That's right.
Yeah, it's not too bad you knowit's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
I mean, I love going to the maritimes, but that's
always a far trip.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
It is especially for us yes, getting to halifax can
can be a haul.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yeah, it can be, yeah but honestly, the kids are just
happy to.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
I don't keep saying kids yeah, I do the same thing.
It's because I'm old.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
The youth there are students and our competitors and
and they're just so excited tobe going somewhere together as a
team and to be, you know,representing team bc, and we're
all excited for the rough ridersgame tonight oh yeah, it'll be
a beautiful stadium yeah, we'resuper excited and you know
that's something new.
Some of them never been to afootball game.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Oh, yeah, yeah, that's exciting.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
It'll be good to see everyone in the stands there.
I got season tickets so I'm alocal.
I have to support my team.
I brought a jersey for my stafftoday, so she's got a jersey
for the game.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Yeah, not everybody would get the chance to get down
to Vancouver and get out to BCPlace or Rogers Arena.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
I've been to BC Place place lots.
I told you before the show myfamily was out in bc and I love
bc.
Um, I brought my parents backto regina when they retired,
though, because they wanted meto go there, and I'm like, no,
no, you're coming back here,yeah, exactly now, in terms of
yourself and as you know you,you walked through the show.
You've been through all thebuildings.
You kind of checked it all out,of course, checking in,
(19:30):
checking in on your groups.
Now, which are the competitionsthat you have?
Perhaps second-time goldmedalists, people looking for
worlds this is a world's year.
I'm sure there's a few peopleon your teams that are really
pushing for that world spot.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Yeah, there's a few that we're hoping for.
I mean, you never know, it goesdown to the last judging you.
I that we're hoping for.
I mean, you never know, it wasdown to the last, uh, last
judging, but uh, our fashiontech competitor uh before had
gone to worlds um that was infrance and leon and so we have
another contender coming up withfashion technology and is the
other one mentoring the one nowno, she's actually.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
I mean she's she's went off to london, to London,
london, england to go to school.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
So again, her career has just flourished and she's
just, and so now we havesomebody else, Devin, and we're
hoping that that goes well.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
At the Barsman set.
Yeah, exactly, that's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
And then industrial instrumentation as well.
A competitor there, that wealso had somebody at worlds with
that and uh in france and againthey're doing really well the
competitor here as well.
So, um, cooking's going well orbaking, and cooking and baking
are always strong in bc.
Yeah and uh, yeah so so there'sa quite a few out there that
(20:49):
we're excited for, and it's goodand all the rest.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
I mean it's just a privilege to be here always yeah
, it really is but I always likehearing about you know there's
always a couple that are likeeyes on the prize yeah, exactly,
right they they, they're,they're paying attention, they
want to get to that next level.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Yeah, and then we have a lot of the technologies
too.
Right, that's uh out there.
I mean bc's big in the filmindustry.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Graphic design.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Graphic design now we've had a metal metal last
year as well for that.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
So, um, you know that whole side of things as well is
pretty, pretty big in bc now,do you, do you feel like, at 61
competitors, this is about yoursize or are you going to grow
like?
Are you looking to get biggerand bigger with your team every
year?
Speaker 2 (21:30):
yeah, well, you know, we definitely want to grow and
and work with skills canada aswell to kind of sort of what are
the, what trades andtechnologies make sense, to
continue and and grow, andthere's always new ones coming
in right uh, we were talkingjust with uh skills ontario
about cyber security and um,okay, and you know the potential
(21:52):
of of adding some potential newones, but that, of course,
we're always limited with space,with the venue and and with
this capacity.
So but then there's some thatyou know might potentially, if
they're not growing or it'slooking like a fading trade or
something like that, ortechnology, um so yeah, we're,
we're just, we're always sort ofkeeping an eye on what's
(22:14):
happening.
And we have grown a bit likesince COVID.
I mean COVID, you know hiteverybody.
And so we've been creeping upsince COVID, and so you know we
had, I think, probably increasedby about 10 since just when
COVID started, and so, yeah,from 50s into the 60s now.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
So we are growing.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
And yeah, we'll definitely hope that we can
continue to grow our programsand continue to increase
regionals.
Particularly, we want to focuson some of those northern
regions where we can try andbuild up the programs more and
work with the colleges anduniversities to just create more
awareness out there in those,in those regions that maybe
can't always get the opportunityto come to the centers where
(22:59):
there's things happening yeah,and it's tough too, because
usually if you're away from themain centers, transportation,
logistics time things start toget a little bit more
complicated.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
there's a little bit more barriers involved.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Absolutely, and just sometimes getting students from
you know the island, to ourprovincials where you're dealing
with ferries, or up north,getting even to a regional
they're dealing with.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
In March there's snow on and going over All the roads
, yeah, and they've got twomountain passes to go over, and
sometimes the buses can't makeit, so sometimes you deal with
weather and things like that.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
the buses can't make it, so sometimes you you deal
with weather and things likethat.
So you know, we're alwaysdealing, the different regions
have different things we'redealing with and but just trying
to bring competitions alltogether and to smaller areas
that that, can you know?
Speaker 1 (23:43):
again, not always have the capability to, and they
and you know that there's sometalent hidden in them.
Hills right absolutely like.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
I always think about none of it too like you know
what they have to do with, withgetting their students they're
gonna plane each other around?
Absolutely yes, I mean but wecan't complain too much compared
to a place like none of it, butuh but we're certainly,
certainly challenged sometimeswith how big this is and just
some of the landscape.
You know the geographicalissues that we have, so, yeah, I
know that.
(24:10):
Some of the landscape.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
You know the geographical issues that we have
, so, yeah, I know that one ofthe themes that's come up with
every ED and all the provincesand territories has been in
regards to the importance oftheir local sponsors, their
local supporters.
I think that for a long time,my company suffered from this.
I think a lot ofnot-for-profits suffer from.
(24:31):
This is that there was an ideathat everyone's just chasing
these big whales.
You want the home hardwares,you want the big yes, I get it.
You want those million dollar,you know supports.
But I think in the last fiveyears, especially across skills,
everywhere and in all lots ofnot-for-profit sectors, it's
like we can't forget about theother tiers.
(24:52):
We can't forget about thesmaller companies, the local
companies you know, because ifyou're, especially if you're,
spread out over regionsgeographically, it really
benefits the community at a nextlevel, to have the local
community partners, you becomemore solidified in those areas.
Now, how important is that orhow have you navigated that in
(25:13):
BC?
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Yeah, absolutely.
And I mean every region, ofcourse, has employers local to
that region.
So our regional coordinatorshelp us to work regionally to
figure out, you know, yeah, whowants to be involved.
And then we work, you know like, again, the colleges are big
sponsors because we use theirvenue.
Yeah, we use you know, and theyhave the staffing and the
(25:33):
volunteers and the equipment andthe equipment.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
It's huge.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Yeah, and so that's really important is having good
connections and you know withthem and making sure that we're
doing what we can to promotethem as well.
Yeah, and you know, provide theopportunity for the students
and educators and the public toknow what's at the colleges.
And then, absolutely, it's notjust all about the cash
donations, which is superimportant we need that to
(25:57):
continue but it's the supplysponsors as well.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
That's right and yeah , whether it's, the consumables
and welding are insane, it'shuge.
It is huge.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
When we see provincials build up from the
day we start coming in and theCNC machines and the massive
machines coming in, all thelumber and all the you know the
dry dirt yeah like thelandscaping.
What we need?
We need dirt, we need lumber,we and yeah, and bricks.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
Even all that's expensive and heavy.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
It's very expensive and heavy and so we yeah, we
work with local you know, localsponsors for the lumber and, and
so we're working behind thescenes on the supply sponsors,
but also working, you know, withour tiered sponsors as well,
which is super important.
So, it's yeah, we work, we justwork with everybody, everybody
we can, to you know, make ithappen.
(26:45):
And it isn't easy, because itis very, it costs a lot.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
It's a big chunk of the job.
It is, it is.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
But you know we'll just continue at it and do it
for the students, because Ithink you know as busy and crazy
as it gets and is, at the endday, when that provincials is
done and when that nationalistsis done, it just brings everyone
together and they realize justhow important this whole
organization is the friendships,the, the connections, the
relationships, yeah, um that,the, not just the competitors,
(27:18):
but also staff, also executives,vendors, suppliers, the
networking is.
the network is huge, it'smassive, yeah, yeah yeah, but my
favorite is when I'm chattingto a potential sponsor and I
might not have they might be newuh, there's an aerospace
company I was chatting to andshe got on the phone and she was
super excited and she said youknow how I got here?
(27:41):
And I said no, and she said Iwas in fashion technology and
that kind of got my foot in thedoor to like interested in
trades and tech yeah and so shewas in fashion tech and then
from fashion tech moved intoaerospace, and so it was
something I
Speaker 1 (27:55):
like didn't you don't connect those dots, yeah but
that's the thing.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Sometimes their journeys is where this is just a
start, and whether they startan electrical and move to
plumbing or you know and we talkabout that in the class too
that it, you know it might be astepping stone to another trade
or I started welding when I was17 and I never thought I'd be
just sitting here doing apodcast.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Yeah, right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
So, and that's like Shoshana, our baking alumni Red
Seal, and she's doing podcastsas well.
Yeah, and so it's just I alwayssay, the opportunities are
endless, that you can ladderinto different trades and
technologies and what you thinkyou might start in one area, um,
and it doesn't matter, it'sjust, it's a journey and it's
just really exciting that thedoors this will start you on a
(28:39):
path, and where that path goes,we'd all we don't always know,
but we do know that it'll be agood one yeah, and you'll learn
along the way and then figureout what you like and what you
don't like just as much so yeahagain, if you go into a trade
and you take a four-yearapprenticeship and you don't
like it, that's okay too, in asense, that you haven't paid for
a four-year university degree.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
No, no, and you guys don't want to fall back on if
something happens.
Absolutely, but what I find ismost people do like it or they
ladder into something else or gointo management, but it's still
adjacent to whatever it wasyeah or they might go into
management or start their ownbusiness or travel with it.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
That's what I've always talked about.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
I was a traveler.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
I'm a traveler, yeah, and so you could travel with
your With work.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
I worked in West Africa, I worked in Russia, I
worked in South America.
I've worked all over Canada.
That's what I.
One of the things I loved mostabout my trade is that if I
could just put a pin on a mapand be like what's going on
there?
Go online and you just find ajob and with the Red Seal from
Canada, it's opened doors.
I never had any employeroverseas be like oh no, no, not
(29:41):
a Canadian.
Oh, you're a Red Seal Canadian.
It's like here's your planeticket, see you next week.
It's so amazing, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
It really is a window of opportunity or a door of
opportunity a window ofopportunity or door of
opportunity and that's again, wewe always, you know give that
message as well, that that thiswill open the doors to so many
opportunities, whether it'stravel, work, employment,
anything it's it's.
It's really fascinating it isand again I didn't know.
I mean I'm happy I did thepathway I did um because
(30:09):
communication ended up here.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
It ended up here, yeah and.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
But it was the same where, like, I could travel with
what I was doing, and I went toAustralia and worked in
communications and went overseasas well, and worked it.
And so I I just say, if you getthe opportunity, go go with it,
go with your.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
You'll have no regrets Like it's not a thing
you ever like.
Oh.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
I wish I didn't go to Australia.
Yeah, exactly, shouldn't havedone that.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Yeah, I thought maybe there you shouldn't have done
some things, but that'sdifferent.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Yeah, no, it's been a great journey and getting to
skills again is so rewarding.
It's just seeing again peoplecome together, seeing people do
well and seeing their pathwayschange their lives, and the
stories, and and and then it'sit's and you're a part of that.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
You are.
That's amazing.
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
So yeah, you put in all the work and some days are
hard and some days you know andand then, but then you see the
results and that's what's alwaysreally rewarding really
rewarding.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Awesome.
Last couple questions now.
Uh, you know, as a spectator,now let's put on that lens.
You know you've walked thewhole floor.
You checked it all out.
What are your three favoritethings to see?
Speaker 2 (31:19):
three favorite things to see as a spectator here I
would say well, you know,everybody always loves seeing
the baking yeah, that's been oneveryone's list so far.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Just all the design work that goes into it, and it's
edible, which is the best partoh yeah, it is.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
It's just no that one .
I I love watching thelandscaping that's also been on
about 90 of everyone's because,just like they're using brick,
they're using you know lots ofdifferent mediums, yeah, like
that you saw the water featurethere, like I think they combine
so many things and that'spretty spectacular too.
And what else would I say?
Speaker 1 (31:55):
The third one, just all of it, I mean it's all
spectacular to see, becausethere's some of you walk by and
then you just find yourself justtransfixed for 20 minutes.
You're like wow.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Yeah, even the plumbing kind of pipe fitting
trades.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
I enjoy watching the electrical guys the way they're
so good with their cables andeverything looks so tidy.
Trust me, none of the wiring inmy house looks like that ever,
like they're so professional, itlooks so nice I wouldn't even
touch wiring.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
So I'm just like I mean I'd love to know how, but
yeah I mean electricals too whenyou think about all they have
to know and the coding and themath and all the science, like
the physics, there's a lot tobeing an electrician, that's for
sure.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
And for the last question, let's piggyback on
that Now.
You're going back in time toyoung you, but you know
everything you know of thetrades that you know now.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Which trade would you pick?
Carpentry.
You thought about it before.
I have I don't know.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
There's something about working with wood and
hands and just not just that.
The mathematical the.
Yeah, I, I think I thinkcarpentry, I don't know that I
always come back to that allover?
Speaker 1 (33:03):
yeah, and I'm sure you would have been a fantastic
carpenter.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Thank you, I might just have to start building
things right you know what?
Speaker 1 (33:10):
that's the hobby time .
Like I never say never.
I got grandkids now and I'mlike thinking, you know, I've
been a welder my whole wholelife and I'm like maybe I should
start getting into wood, maybeplastics or these acrylics
everyone's getting into you know, because I think once you are a
builder, you're kind of alwaysa builder right, yeah, so no, I
think that's what throws me offof it.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
No, I don't think the whole time.
Maybe I could do a half-daycarpentry and a half-day graphic
design.
Well, you could design whatyou're going to build Exactly.
There you go, hey.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Well, thank you so much for being on the show with
me, Michelle.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
It's been fun being here.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Awesome and for all the people that have been
following along, we have 13episodes.
We're recording over two dayshere at Skills, so you want to
check out all the provinces andterritory stories.
They're all amazing, it's allbeen super fun and you're
learning something about everyprovince and territory in Canada
.
So check them all out and, forthe rest of the podcast series,
make sure you keep downloading,sharing and liking them.
(34:12):
We need your support.
Love you all.
Until the next episode, we hopeyou 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 the CWB Association
(00:27):
podcast.
My name is Max Ron and thisweek we are going to be here in
beautiful Regina, Saskatchewan,and we are recording editions
with the executive directors ofall the skills people across
Canada.
Now this has been super fun.
I've been learning about allthe provinces and territories
and today we have MichelleSkelly from beautiful British
(00:48):
Columbia.
How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Great.
Thank you.
It's so exciting to be here.
I'm like finally see everybodyin person and see it all
happening, after so much youknow behind the scenes to get it
going.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
All the buildup, all the buildup of all the years.
That's right Now.
How long have you beenexecutive director in BC?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
So it'll be just coming up to two years, so I'm
one of the newbies.
Yeah, you're pretty fresh.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
I mean, I've had everything from six months or
three months, I think, forNunavut, to 27 years.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yes, yes, there's a broad spectrum of us all.
I have been with SkillsBC,however, for just over 10 years.
Okay, in what capacity have youbeen working with?
Speaker 1 (01:29):
them.
Oh, so I think, as we call it,we are all the jack of all
trades.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
So I was doing Inspire presentations, classroom
presentations, social mediacommunications.
I come from a communicationsbackground as well.
I was doing everythingorganizing the competition and
program director.
Director programs as well doingour programs.
So I had been doing dabbling inpretty much everything in
(01:53):
skills we see before thisposition, so it was a good
transition.
So what pulled?
Speaker 1 (01:57):
you into the skills world in the first place?
Do you have a trades background, or what is it that led you
into that world?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
You know, I actually wish I had a trades background,
because you know, as I get somany people saying if I had only
known you know, that thisexisted, but I actually came
from a communications background, so I have a degree in
communications from Simon FraserUniversity.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
That'll serve you very well in this role as ED,
though.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
It has and it served me well.
I actually came from prior toSkills.
I was with what's called theResource Training Organization,
okay, and we oversaw theresource sector trades at BC.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
So from mining, shipbuilding, oil and gas, pulp
and paper, solid wood utilities,and so all the trades under the
welding was and paper, solidwood utilities, and so all the
trades under the welding was oneof them.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Good, but we're everywhere yeah absolutely, and
so we worked with those sectorsand those employers to promote
trades, careers within thosesectors.
So we would work on theprogramming and we were kind of
the umbrella of.
At the time was called theIndustry Training Authority in
BC.
They're now called SkilledTrades BC.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Right, okay.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, and so so a lot of that was doing.
You know a lot of things thatSkills BC does as well, which
was promoting the trades toyouth, making sure the awareness
was out there, doing someactivities, you know, bringing
industry in.
For instance, we worked withDepartment of National Defense
in Esquimalt, bringing the kidsthere and the youth and giving
(03:30):
them a chance to see what arethese trades behind the scenes.
Get behind it, yeah, and samewith, you know, C-SPAN shipyards
, going onto the shipyards andseeing what's happening here and
there's huge hires for the areaAbsolutely Wow.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Like the, you know the welders, you know what's
happening here and there's hugehires for the area, absolutely
Wow.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Like the, you know the welders, you know they're
seeing them in action.
And or tech, up up in trail,you know seeing them again
getting behind the scenes andseeing what's happening up there
.
So so that was a good segueinto SkillsBC where again we
just you know we're our focus isall of the the um provinces and
territories are is to topromote the skills, skill,
(04:08):
trades and technologies andprovide the opportunity around
competition and programs toshowcase all the opportunities
you know within bc yeah, and youcan hear all the kids coming in
now.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
You know this is exciting here come all the high
school kids, which is great.
Now, when you came in as ed,what was the learning curve like
?
Because I mean it's kind oflike drinking from the fire hose
coming into the skills familyyeah because there's.
It's not just one trade or acouple trades, it's all the
trades, right, and then theconnections and all that stuff,
(04:41):
the acronyms, the terminology,the language.
What was that like for you?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Coming into this role from my previous role was.
You know definitely a learningcurve, but on the other hand,
because I'd been with skills fora long time, I didn't know the
acronyms.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah, yeah, and you're right, there are a lot of
acronyms.
There's a lot of acronyms, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
And you know for new people coming in.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
And you know for new people coming in.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
We just need a little tutorial on acronyms alone.
But yeah, so that.
But on the other hand, I hadbeen working with the ED
previous ED on sponsorship, onprogramming on.
You know I had a lot of thecontacts as well and I knew a
lot of the people.
So there was definitely a hugeadvantage to having already been
working within skills for along time.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Yeah to having already been working within
skills for a long time.
Yeah, and what was the firstthings you noticed when you came
into skills in terms of wantingfor you to bring your vision?
Every ED that comes in has anidea of what they'd like to see,
what they'd like to grow.
What were kind of like thefirst things on your list?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
I would say again, coming from a previous role in
the resource sector, trades too,and I think really showcasing
the student, like I guess whatyou would, we would say is we've
talked about this, you know,with our board and with our
staff is we're all aboutcompetitions, but we're also
about grassroots and aboutproviding that awareness to
(06:04):
students all across the provincethat you know might not get the
opportunity to see what, what'savailable out there.
So so kind of a balance betweenthe grassroots and getting you
know tools in their hands.
Organic, yeah, yeah and that'swhy we really focus on our
regional competitions across theprovince as well.
I know not every memberorganization does regionals, but
(06:26):
we really feel that's importantand so that we can get to, you
know, up north and on the island.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
And you get more people's eyes on it, right, yeah
?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
exactly and then not to say you know, we're all about
the competitions as well, andso we kind of balance that
between let's get you know toolsin hands of middle school
students, get them doing middleschool competitions and things
like that, but also focus on youknow the skills of competing as
well.
So I think really the balancewas also getting in the
(06:56):
classrooms.
We were doing Inspirepresentations.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
And the Inspire are the Indigenous-based
presentations, aren't they?
Speaker 2 (07:03):
No, they're not Indigenous, but some of the
programs like when we're up infort nate, fort nelson or fort
st john, there's a highindigenous population yeah, okay
so, for instance, in fortnelson we did have an indigenous
presenter okay, up there andthat worked really well.
And just again, um, sometimesit's the teachers that aren't
aware as well, right?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
so those counselors, teacher network.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah, so the career educators, you know, getting the
awareness to them too.
And the teachers, becausesometimes we go in the class and
some of the teachers were likeI didn't know, no, there's no,
and you know, the careereducators are directing them to
maybe university degrees andthings like that where we're
providing that opportunity thatyou don't necessarily have to go
get a four-year degree and youknow all those key facts that
(07:44):
apprenticeship is earn while youlearn.
You're not having a hugestudent debt, your um freedom.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
You know like just that financial freedom is huge
right now yeah, like I one of mydaughters, or sorry, one of my
son's friends was over and waslike the, they're millennials,
and they're, I guess they'relike young millennials and uh,
and they're like, oh, you know,today's kids will never buy a
house.
I'm like, yeah, be a welder.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Exactly what are you talking about?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
That's like uh yeah, you can buy a house Like you,
just pick the right trade Right.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Right, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
You know, I've.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
I've directed my neighbors kids as well, they're
that, you know, come out of highhigh school.
They're not quite sure and Isaid, and one of them's gone
into um electrical and anotherone into refrigeration you know,
that's a big one that pays welland and we need refrigeration
as well.
So so there's, you know, yeah,there's definitely tons of
opportunities and we've justreally want to spread the word
(08:40):
of of that these opportunitiesexist and we work with, you know
, a lot of post-secondary acrossthe whole province, because
we're very spread out.
We have 13 regions in BC that wedeal with, so we have 13
regionals.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
That's a lot.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
That's a lot to coordinate it's so you know
we're super busy all the time,but you know January to March is
particularly busy with ourregionals, which really mostly
focuses in March.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
So no, no downtime really January, March, april.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
May, june, july, august, July, august, september.
It's it's.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
It's yeah, it's one of those industries.
I think that probably all themember organizations have talked
about that, you know it's.
It's kind of one of those jobswhere it's a build up, build up,
build up and maybe a little bitof downtime, but it's not your
kind of nine to five just no,there's definitely like timing,
the portions of the year thatare like very specific goals
(09:35):
that you need to work towardsright exactly and and plus
you're working around schoolsystems and semester systems and
you know different places havedifferent times and the pd
availability of the teachers andthere's a lot that you try to
line up to make everyone haveaccess right oh, absolutely yeah
, it's and and again.
Back to those teachers too, iswhere you know we realize the
(09:59):
getting the teachers to ourprovincials, to our regions, to
those inspire class andpresentations, because they're
often the people that aredirecting the students and you
want to inspire them absolutely,and the parents so we really
push, you know, promoting the toget the parents out to
provincials and and come andspectate.
This year we had, uh, I think wehad over seven, yeah seven,
(10:20):
7500 spectators.
So for, for, like, that's ourhighest sort of year that we
think we have on record, and wehad over 90 buses of students
come in, so you know, very, veryexciting provincials this year,
and here we are now atnationals and we've got 61
competitors here.
So again you know higher thanwe've had over the past few
(10:44):
years.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
I was going to ask you what's your full team,
what's everyone that's here?
Speaker 2 (10:49):
You mean which competitions?
Speaker 1 (10:50):
No, you've got 61 competitors.
Then you've got staff, you'vegot mentors.
Oh, right?
Speaker 2 (10:55):
So yeah, we have four staff.
And then we have 40, I think wehave 106 of us all in total,
that's a big team, yeah 106 withus all in total, total.
So we have the delegates.
Yeah, so a lot of you knowpeople from the college coaches,
chaperones, judges uh, you knowa whole gang of us yeah, yeah,
but it's great, it's, it's, it'sso exciting and that everybody
(11:17):
is.
It's just amazing.
And and the volunteers that wehave, all that they do we, you
know, like all of us, wecouldn't do it without all of
them.
And it really does take avillage to put on a provincial
or put on a regional and uh, youknow we're a small, we're a
small staff, we're just four,right now so you know, we
certainly can't do it all and wereally really appreciate that
(11:40):
that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
The hard work, that that everybody does now, in
terms of you know, gettingeveryone, everyone together and
coming to nationals you knowthat process because you cover,
like you said, 13 regions hasgot to be a formidable task.
It is a formidable task.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
So, yeah, you know, we close the doors to
provincials and everyone says,oh, take a breather.
We're like, yeah, no no we'reoff to the races now, and now
she's, and we've done a few newthings which have really worked
well, because we're so spreadout, we can't have, you know,
team meetings together before wefly, wherever we're flying to
(12:19):
every year, so this year, orsorry we started last year.
Uh, zoom sessions um just tofront load everybody, stay high,
have everyone introducethemselves, you know, and just
start to gather and give themall the information that they
need to know um, because thereis a lot of information, then
they're excited, they're nervous, um and uh.
(12:40):
So if we can, you know, givethem all that information, we
can answer all the questionsthey have.
And it's funny because, um, andthe first Zoom, none of them
would put their cameras on.
And we were like you know, comeand put your cameras on,
introduce yourself and veryslowly like the next Zoom
meeting we had a few and then wehad our meeting here in the
(13:01):
morning and they were, you know.
I said, well, no, putting yourcameras on, and now we're here
face to face.
We're here in real life, and soit's, but it's you.
You know, for some of them.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
This is the first time they've ever flown.
I was gonna ask you.
You know, because you know whenI talk to the territories
especially, you have a wholegroup of people that have never
some.
One of the great statements Iheard is that one of the
competitors from nunavut hadnever seen a tree right, because
they're from way up north, likepermafrost, yeah, and so in bc,
obviously it's not that remote,but there's some very remote
areas of bc absolutely right soyou probably have some people
(13:36):
who've never, you know, left theprovince, never flown.
How do you start easing thenerves?
How do you keep everyonerelaxed, yet pumped up?
Speaker 2 (13:46):
how do we do that well again with these zoom
sessions and and calls and andyou know, just, actually one of
the things that's worked reallywell is, you know, sometimes we
get repeat competitors and thenwe even have people which we
have come full circle.
They're now judges, they'reinstructors, but they were a
competitor before.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Actually, we have Shoshana Blair, who was an
alumni and we have her full timeon our team now.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
good, so just giving them reassurance and messages
like, hey, I've been there, I'vebeen through what you're about
to go through.
You know I'm here for you thisis what it was like.
You're gonna have memories tolast a lifetime yeah and you
know you're gonna look back and,no matter how you do, um, you
got here, you got to nationalsand that, in and of itself, is
(14:31):
just spectacular.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
I mean this you will, you know, you put that on your
resume and you are going to be,you know, set for life,
basically all these kids, allthese competitors I shouldn't
say kids, because some are older, but all these competitors
they're gonna be fine, not onlyjust because they're at this
level of talent, but becausethey're at this level of
maturity with in terms of beingout there making themselves
(14:54):
vulnerable.
You know that that is a hugestep in professionalism.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Absolutely, and to have the capability to be, you
know, calm under pressure, tocommunicate with new people that
you've never met, to go to anew place, and you know, we talk
about all those skills forsuccess with them adaptability,
adapting to an environment,adapting to the tools, um, all
those things that that we, youknow, covering the skills for
success too.
It's just yeah, like you know,you say, no matter how you do
(15:23):
and no matter what the outcomeis, you have taken a huge step
to advancing your yourself andyour career and you know, you
know you're going to do amazingout there.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Yeah, yeah.
Now what's your firstimpressions of Regina?
You know you're coming in.
Have you been to Regina before?
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Years and years ago.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Yeah, this didn't exist, you know what do?
You think of the venue?
What do you think of the town?
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Venue is amazing.
I think everybody's done such agreat job here.
I I really think it's a greatvenue, the town, you know what
it's.
I was pleasantly surprised, Ihave to say, with a few things
um at the well, the weather'sspectacular so you can't.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
We're really blessed here.
I've had a few people commenton the weather being like I
haven't seen a cloud all week.
I'm like you're not going tosee one until september.
It's, that's saskatchewan, yeah, and I love that.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
So it's uh it's know, waxana Lake.
Did I say that?
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Waxana Waxana yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
That park is amazing.
We went there yesterday andwent to somewhere to eat on the
lake.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Did you go to Willow the Bar?
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Willow restaurant.
Yes, we did, isn't it beautifulit is.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Were you out on the water on the deck?
Yes, it was just spectacularand, funnily enough, two tables
down was skills alberta, so someof them were there too.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
So, yes, we found the great spot and good, good, you
know, did the pathways.
So so, yeah, and I I've heardthe museums are great here and I
know some of our if you like,dinosaurs especially.
There's a lot of dinosaurs,yeah, a lot of the competitors
like the dinosaurs, and I knowsome of them have made it out to
the museum, so so yeah, I thinkthere's some you know some
great coffee places we heardabout?
Speaker 1 (16:52):
yeah, it's interesting because, oh sorry,
go ahead because I think thatthere, when you don't travel the
country, you tend to hearpeople say oh, that province is
good, this province is bad, thisprovince is good, they're all
great they're all great indifferent ways.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
yeah, and you know, one thing that people have noted
and I've noticed, it's thepeople here too Everybody has
been so friendly.
And so the hotel has been.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Well, we call ourselves a host city.
I can see it, because we loveit.
We love hosting and everybody'sjust really friendly.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
So I definitely say it's been one of the friendliest
places that we've been.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
I'm glad.
So it's no.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
And you know, one of the things that we were saying
is that in bc we have themountains right.
So and there's, we love themountains but the sun sets
faster.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
So here we're, like wow that you can still see the
sun.
Yeah, it's like sunny from like5 am till like 11 yeah, and
that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
So you know, like there's different things that
you and if you, can catch asunset here.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
They're beautiful.
It's every color you can thinkof, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
No, so we're always grateful for the different
places that we get to visit andhappy to be here.
And the flight was much easier.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
It was a two-hour flight, so Zip zoom, yeah, nice
and easy.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
The kids weren't, you know, as tired.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Well, and the time, change right, change right.
It's only a two hour, I think,from now, from bc to us right
now.
That's right.
Yeah, it's not too bad you knowit's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
I mean, I love going to the maritimes, but that's
always a far trip.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
It is especially for us yes, getting to halifax can
can be a haul.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yeah, it can be, yeah but honestly, the kids are just
happy to.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
I don't keep saying kids yeah, I do the same thing.
It's because I'm old.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
The youth there are students and our competitors and
and they're just so excited tobe going somewhere together as a
team and to be, you know,representing team bc, and we're
all excited for the rough ridersgame tonight oh yeah, it'll be
a beautiful stadium yeah, we'resuper excited and you know
that's something new.
Some of them never been to afootball game.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Oh, yeah, yeah, that's exciting.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
It'll be good to see everyone in the stands there.
I got season tickets so I'm alocal.
I have to support my team.
I brought a jersey for my stafftoday, so she's got a jersey
for the game.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Yeah, not everybody would get the chance to get down
to Vancouver and get out to BCPlace or Rogers Arena.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
I've been to BC Place place lots.
I told you before the show myfamily was out in bc and I love
bc.
Um, I brought my parents backto regina when they retired,
though, because they wanted meto go there, and I'm like, no,
no, you're coming back here,yeah, exactly now, in terms of
yourself and as you know you,you walked through the show.
You've been through all thebuildings.
You kind of checked it all out,of course, checking in,
(19:30):
checking in on your groups.
Now, which are the competitionsthat you have?
Perhaps second-time goldmedalists, people looking for
worlds this is a world's year.
I'm sure there's a few peopleon your teams that are really
pushing for that world spot.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Yeah, there's a few that we're hoping for.
I mean, you never know, it goesdown to the last judging you.
I that we're hoping for.
I mean, you never know, it wasdown to the last, uh, last
judging, but uh, our fashiontech competitor uh before had
gone to worlds um that was infrance and leon and so we have
another contender coming up withfashion technology and is the
other one mentoring the one nowno, she's actually.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
I mean she's she's went off to london, to London,
london, england to go to school.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
So again, her career has just flourished and she's
just, and so now we havesomebody else, Devin, and we're
hoping that that goes well.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
At the Barsman set.
Yeah, exactly, that's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
And then industrial instrumentation as well.
A competitor there, that wealso had somebody at worlds with
that and uh in france and againthey're doing really well the
competitor here as well.
So, um, cooking's going well orbaking, and cooking and baking
are always strong in bc.
Yeah and uh, yeah so so there'sa quite a few out there that
(20:49):
we're excited for, and it's goodand all the rest.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
I mean it's just a privilege to be here always yeah
, it really is but I always likehearing about you know there's
always a couple that are likeeyes on the prize yeah, exactly,
right they they, they're,they're paying attention, they
want to get to that next level.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Yeah, and then we have a lot of the technologies
too.
Right, that's uh out there.
I mean bc's big in the filmindustry.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Graphic design.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Graphic design now we've had a metal metal last
year as well for that.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
So, um, you know that whole side of things as well is
pretty, pretty big in bc now,do you, do you feel like, at 61
competitors, this is about yoursize or are you going to grow
like?
Are you looking to get biggerand bigger with your team every
year?
Speaker 2 (21:30):
yeah, well, you know, we definitely want to grow and
and work with skills canada aswell to kind of sort of what are
the, what trades andtechnologies make sense, to
continue and and grow, andthere's always new ones coming
in right uh, we were talkingjust with uh skills ontario
about cyber security and um,okay, and you know the potential
(21:52):
of of adding some potential newones, but that, of course,
we're always limited with space,with the venue and and with
this capacity.
So but then there's some thatyou know might potentially, if
they're not growing or it'slooking like a fading trade or
something like that, ortechnology, um so yeah, we're,
we're just, we're always sort ofkeeping an eye on what's
(22:14):
happening.
And we have grown a bit likesince COVID.
I mean COVID, you know hiteverybody.
And so we've been creeping upsince COVID, and so you know we
had, I think, probably increasedby about 10 since just when
COVID started, and so, yeah,from 50s into the 60s now.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
So we are growing.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
And yeah, we'll definitely hope that we can
continue to grow our programsand continue to increase
regionals.
Particularly, we want to focuson some of those northern
regions where we can try andbuild up the programs more and
work with the colleges anduniversities to just create more
awareness out there in those,in those regions that maybe
can't always get the opportunityto come to the centers where
(22:59):
there's things happening yeah,and it's tough too, because
usually if you're away from themain centers, transportation,
logistics time things start toget a little bit more
complicated.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
there's a little bit more barriers involved.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Absolutely, and just sometimes getting students from
you know the island, to ourprovincials where you're dealing
with ferries, or up north,getting even to a regional
they're dealing with.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
In March there's snow on and going over All the roads
, yeah, and they've got twomountain passes to go over, and
sometimes the buses can't makeit, so sometimes you deal with
weather and things like that.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
the buses can't make it, so sometimes you you deal
with weather and things likethat.
So you know, we're alwaysdealing, the different regions
have different things we'redealing with and but just trying
to bring competitions alltogether and to smaller areas
that that, can you know?
Speaker 1 (23:43):
again, not always have the capability to, and they
and you know that there's sometalent hidden in them.
Hills right absolutely like.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
I always think about none of it too like you know
what they have to do with, withgetting their students they're
gonna plane each other around?
Absolutely yes, I mean but wecan't complain too much compared
to a place like none of it, butuh but we're certainly,
certainly challenged sometimeswith how big this is and just
some of the landscape.
You know the geographicalissues that we have, so, yeah, I
know that.
(24:10):
Some of the landscape.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
You know the geographical issues that we have
, so, yeah, I know that one ofthe themes that's come up with
every ED and all the provincesand territories has been in
regards to the importance oftheir local sponsors, their
local supporters.
I think that for a long time,my company suffered from this.
I think a lot ofnot-for-profits suffer from.
(24:31):
This is that there was an ideathat everyone's just chasing
these big whales.
You want the home hardwares,you want the big yes, I get it.
You want those million dollar,you know supports.
But I think in the last fiveyears, especially across skills,
everywhere and in all lots ofnot-for-profit sectors, it's
like we can't forget about theother tiers.
(24:52):
We can't forget about thesmaller companies, the local
companies you know, because ifyou're, especially if you're,
spread out over regionsgeographically, it really
benefits the community at a nextlevel, to have the local
community partners, you becomemore solidified in those areas.
Now, how important is that orhow have you navigated that in
(25:13):
BC?
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Yeah, absolutely.
And I mean every region, ofcourse, has employers local to
that region.
So our regional coordinatorshelp us to work regionally to
figure out, you know, yeah, whowants to be involved.
And then we work, you know like, again, the colleges are big
sponsors because we use theirvenue.
Yeah, we use you know, and theyhave the staffing and the
(25:33):
volunteers and the equipment andthe equipment.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
It's huge.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Yeah, and so that's really important is having good
connections and you know withthem and making sure that we're
doing what we can to promotethem as well.
Yeah, and you know, provide theopportunity for the students
and educators and the public toknow what's at the colleges.
And then, absolutely, it's notjust all about the cash
donations, which is superimportant we need that to
(25:57):
continue but it's the supplysponsors as well.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
That's right and yeah , whether it's, the consumables
and welding are insane, it'shuge.
It is huge.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
When we see provincials build up from the
day we start coming in and theCNC machines and the massive
machines coming in, all thelumber and all the you know the
dry dirt yeah like thelandscaping.
What we need?
We need dirt, we need lumber,we and yeah, and bricks.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
Even all that's expensive and heavy.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
It's very expensive and heavy and so we yeah, we
work with local you know, localsponsors for the lumber and, and
so we're working behind thescenes on the supply sponsors,
but also working, you know, withour tiered sponsors as well,
which is super important.
So, it's yeah, we work, we justwork with everybody, everybody
we can, to you know, make ithappen.
(26:45):
And it isn't easy, because itis very, it costs a lot.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
It's a big chunk of the job.
It is, it is.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
But you know we'll just continue at it and do it
for the students, because Ithink you know as busy and crazy
as it gets and is, at the endday, when that provincials is
done and when that nationalistsis done, it just brings everyone
together and they realize justhow important this whole
organization is the friendships,the, the connections, the
relationships, yeah, um that,the, not just the competitors,
(27:18):
but also staff, also executives,vendors, suppliers, the
networking is.
the network is huge, it'smassive, yeah, yeah yeah, but my
favorite is when I'm chattingto a potential sponsor and I
might not have they might be newuh, there's an aerospace
company I was chatting to andshe got on the phone and she was
super excited and she said youknow how I got here?
(27:41):
And I said no, and she said Iwas in fashion technology and
that kind of got my foot in thedoor to like interested in
trades and tech yeah and so shewas in fashion tech and then
from fashion tech moved intoaerospace, and so it was
something I
Speaker 1 (27:55):
like didn't you don't connect those dots, yeah but
that's the thing.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Sometimes their journeys is where this is just a
start, and whether they startan electrical and move to
plumbing or you know and we talkabout that in the class too
that it, you know it might be astepping stone to another trade
or I started welding when I was17 and I never thought I'd be
just sitting here doing apodcast.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Yeah, right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
So, and that's like Shoshana, our baking alumni Red
Seal, and she's doing podcastsas well.
Yeah, and so it's just I alwayssay, the opportunities are
endless, that you can ladderinto different trades and
technologies and what you thinkyou might start in one area, um,
and it doesn't matter, it'sjust, it's a journey and it's
just really exciting that thedoors this will start you on a
(28:39):
path, and where that path goes,we'd all we don't always know,
but we do know that it'll be agood one yeah, and you'll learn
along the way and then figureout what you like and what you
don't like just as much so yeahagain, if you go into a trade
and you take a four-yearapprenticeship and you don't
like it, that's okay too, in asense, that you haven't paid for
a four-year university degree.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
No, no, and you guys don't want to fall back on if
something happens.
Absolutely, but what I find ismost people do like it or they
ladder into something else or gointo management, but it's still
adjacent to whatever it wasyeah or they might go into
management or start their ownbusiness or travel with it.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
That's what I've always talked about.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
I was a traveler.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
I'm a traveler, yeah, and so you could travel with
your With work.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
I worked in West Africa, I worked in Russia, I
worked in South America.
I've worked all over Canada.
That's what I.
One of the things I loved mostabout my trade is that if I
could just put a pin on a mapand be like what's going on
there?
Go online and you just find ajob and with the Red Seal from
Canada, it's opened doors.
I never had any employeroverseas be like oh no, no, not
(29:41):
a Canadian.
Oh, you're a Red Seal Canadian.
It's like here's your planeticket, see you next week.
It's so amazing, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
It really is a window of opportunity or a door of
opportunity a window ofopportunity or door of
opportunity and that's again, wewe always, you know give that
message as well, that that thiswill open the doors to so many
opportunities, whether it'stravel, work, employment,
anything it's it's.
It's really fascinating it isand again I didn't know.
I mean I'm happy I did thepathway I did um because
(30:09):
communication ended up here.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
It ended up here, yeah and.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
But it was the same where, like, I could travel with
what I was doing, and I went toAustralia and worked in
communications and went overseasas well, and worked it.
And so I I just say, if you getthe opportunity, go go with it,
go with your.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
You'll have no regrets Like it's not a thing
you ever like.
Oh.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
I wish I didn't go to Australia.
Yeah, exactly, shouldn't havedone that.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Yeah, I thought maybe there you shouldn't have done
some things, but that'sdifferent.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Yeah, no, it's been a great journey and getting to
skills again is so rewarding.
It's just seeing again peoplecome together, seeing people do
well and seeing their pathwayschange their lives, and the
stories, and and and then it'sit's and you're a part of that.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
You are.
That's amazing.
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
So yeah, you put in all the work and some days are
hard and some days you know andand then, but then you see the
results and that's what's alwaysreally rewarding really
rewarding.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Awesome.
Last couple questions now.
Uh, you know, as a spectator,now let's put on that lens.
You know you've walked thewhole floor.
You checked it all out.
What are your three favoritethings to see?
Speaker 2 (31:19):
three favorite things to see as a spectator here I
would say well, you know,everybody always loves seeing
the baking yeah, that's been oneveryone's list so far.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Just all the design work that goes into it, and it's
edible, which is the best partoh yeah, it is.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
It's just no that one .
I I love watching thelandscaping that's also been on
about 90 of everyone's because,just like they're using brick,
they're using you know lots ofdifferent mediums, yeah, like
that you saw the water featurethere, like I think they combine
so many things and that'spretty spectacular too.
And what else would I say?
Speaker 1 (31:55):
The third one, just all of it, I mean it's all
spectacular to see, becausethere's some of you walk by and
then you just find yourself justtransfixed for 20 minutes.
You're like wow.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Yeah, even the plumbing kind of pipe fitting
trades.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
I enjoy watching the electrical guys the way they're
so good with their cables andeverything looks so tidy.
Trust me, none of the wiring inmy house looks like that ever,
like they're so professional, itlooks so nice I wouldn't even
touch wiring.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
So I'm just like I mean I'd love to know how, but
yeah I mean electricals too whenyou think about all they have
to know and the coding and themath and all the science, like
the physics, there's a lot tobeing an electrician, that's for
sure.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
And for the last question, let's piggyback on
that Now.
You're going back in time toyoung you, but you know
everything you know of thetrades that you know now.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Which trade would you pick?
Carpentry.
You thought about it before.
I have I don't know.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
There's something about working with wood and
hands and just not just that.
The mathematical the.
Yeah, I, I think I thinkcarpentry, I don't know that I
always come back to that allover?
Speaker 1 (33:03):
yeah, and I'm sure you would have been a fantastic
carpenter.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Thank you, I might just have to start building
things right you know what?
Speaker 1 (33:10):
that's the hobby time .
Like I never say never.
I got grandkids now and I'mlike thinking, you know, I've
been a welder my whole wholelife and I'm like maybe I should
start getting into wood, maybeplastics or these acrylics
everyone's getting into you know, because I think once you are a
builder, you're kind of alwaysa builder right, yeah, so no, I
think that's what throws me offof it.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
No, I don't think the whole time.
Maybe I could do a half-daycarpentry and a half-day graphic
design.
Well, you could design whatyou're going to build Exactly.
There you go, hey.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Well, thank you so much for being on the show with
me, Michelle.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
It's been fun being here.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Awesome and for all the people that have been
following along, we have 13episodes.
We're recording over two dayshere at Skills, so you want to
check out all the provinces andterritory stories.
They're all amazing, it's allbeen super fun and you're
learning something about everyprovince and territory in Canada
.
So check them all out and, forthe rest of the podcast series,
make sure you keep downloading,sharing and liking them.
(34:12):
We need your support.
Love you all.
Until the next episode, we hopeyou enjoy the show.
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Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!