SAIT students compete on the global stage

Move over Hammer Throw, this Team Canada is throwing actual hammers in France.

Top competitors from around the world flexing their craft and skills honed to a fine degree.

The 2024 Summer Olympics might be coming to mind, but that’s not what we mean.

We’re talking about WorldSkills — where 1,400 competitors from 70 countries come together to compete in 59 skill areas for the title of world champion in their respective trade.

SAIT’s Dean of Apprenticeship, Jim Szautner, refers to WorldSkills as the Olympics of skilled trades and we can see why. Beginning at the provincial level, trades and technology students have the opportunity to compete against their peers to advance to nationals — potentially all the way to the global competition held every two years.

This year, two SAIT competitors joined Team Canada at WorldSkills 2024 in Lyon, France to compete in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning and Plumbing, travelling to France with their coaches, and SAIT instructors, who supported them throughout the competition.

Noah Harding — Plumbing | Instructor and Coach: Ryan Surette, School of Construction

From a young age, Noah’s path to plumbing was clear when he decided his future was in the family business.

Before his journey brought him to the Plumber Apprenticeship Program at SAIT, Noah started working in his family shop at 14 years old, participating in the Registered Apprenticeship Program to use summer work experience to earn dual credit towards high school credits and a journeyperson certification.

“I started plumbing because of my family and I got into Skills because my brother actually competed,” says Noah, pointing to his brother’s banner hanging behind him in the SAIT plumbing lab. “I mentioned I might start going into Skills competitions and he challenged me to beat his score — which I have.”

Skills helped Noah build his confidence in the trade and gave him more hands-on experience to solidify the training he receives in the classroom and round out his education.

But training for WorldSkills is no joke. Competing at Skills is hard work and takes a lot of dedication and practice, especially at the international level.

“I started training with my coach last June once or twice a week by studying previous competitions and brushing up on skills that are more prevalent in Europe than they are in North American standards,” says Noah. “Without SAIT, I wouldn’t be competing at this level. I really appreciate that.”

Tyler Cherkowski — Refrigeration and Air Conditioning | Instructor and Coach: Tyson Frank, School of Construction

Tyler started his Skills journey in high school through a teacher who was involved in welding competitions. After exploring a few different trades, he tried his hand at refrigeration through a summer job and was really drawn to it.

“The mixture of the mechanical side of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning with the electrical side is a perfect blend for me and makes it really interesting.”

When he began studying at SAIT an instructor suggested he get involved in Skills.

“My first Skills competition in Refrigeration was quite challenging, but it was a great experience and I learned a lot. I was more prepared when I went back the next year and made it to Nationals, where I qualified for WorldSkills.”

Through Skills, Tyler racked up travel rewards. He travelled to Winnipeg for Nationals, to Halifax for training and back to Nationals in Quebec City. He shook hands with Members of Parliament in Ottawa and spent time in England and then France.

It has also been a great opportunity to meet people in the trades with shared experiences who understand educational journey and career path in the industry.

“Skills is a great way to showcase what we do in a trade. Before I got into Refrigeration, I didn’t know what it was and now I love being able to show off what I know. I can tell people what I do but they don’t really get it until they see it.”

A WorldSkills expert has entered the chat

Dr. David Ross and Harold Bergmann pose for a photo at WorldSkills

With an extensive history in Skills competitions, SAIT Instructor Harold Bergmann attended WorldSkills as the Team Canada expert in cabinetmaking, and coach to the Team Canada cabinetmaking competitor. This was Bergmann’s second time as the cabinetmaking expert. Prior to the prestigious role, he attended WorldSkills as a coach at WorldSkills on three other occasions.

Experts are required to report for duty before the competition to set up and make sure everything is ready for the competitors’ arrival. During the competition, they wear multiple hats by ensuring things run smoothly while they judge competitors over four days.

The unique experience of Skills draws Harold to the program. It’s an opportunity to work with the next generation in skilled trades and support them as they foster their expertise, gain confidence and broaden their perspectives through competition.