Nine Medals for VIU Students at Provincial Trades Skills Competition

VIU Culinary student Kaya Peters (l) celebrates her gold medal win with classmate Erin Detchkoff, who took home a bronze medal in the post-secondary competition.

April 29, 2015 - 2:45pm

Five students from Vancouver Island University (VIU) and regional high schools will advance to the Skills Canada National Competition in Saskatoon May 28 to 30 after winning gold medals at the Provincial Skills Canada BC competition.

Culinary student Kaya Peters won a gold medal in the Culinary post-secondary competition. The Salmon Arm, BC resident had just started the program in late January.

Brooks Secondary in Powell River was the only high school in BC to win two gold medals, with Devon Degraag and Zane Hernandez taking the top spots for Dual Credit students competing in Automotive Service Technician and Carpentry respectively.

Gold medals also went to a team of two students from Cowichan Secondary, Alasdair Shaw and Wyatt Wratten, competing in the Junior Skills “Gravity Vehicle Car” competition.

Silver medals went to Andrew Vissers in the Automotive Service Technician post-secondary competition; Trevor Ford, a Dual Credit student from Cowichan Secondary entered in the Electronics competition; and Dylan Moore, a post-secondary student at VIU’s Cowichan Trades Centre, in Refrigeration.

Bronze medals went to Cam Frenette, entered in the post-secondary Carpentry competition; and Erin Detchkoff, winning in the post-secondary Culinary competition.

“It’s so great to have this platform for the students to showcase their skills,” said VIU Automotive instructor Ron Depape, who supported students at the Provincial Skills competition in Abbotsford April 15. “It’s a great confidence builder and it looks good on their resumé when they are ready to enter the work force.”

The Skills Canada National Competition is the only national, multi-trade and technology competition for students and apprentices in the country.

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For more information about the Skills Canada National Competition, see http://skillscompetencescanada.com/en/programs/skills-canada-national-competition/

Photo Caption: VIU Culinary student Kaya Peter (l) celebrates her gold medal win with classmate Erin Detchkoff, who took home a bronze medal in the post-secondary competition.