Youth excel at skills competition
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, April 17, 2017
IQALUIT
Sixty-six competitors from across the territory gathered in Iqaluit March 8 and 9 to compete in the annual Skills Canada Nunavut territorial competitions.
Mallory Okatsiak, Arviat, the Gold medalist for Hairstyling. Skills Nunavut competition
Iqaluit - photo: Damaris Nutarasungnik, Arviat Gold medalist for Photography |
"Unfortunately, Naujaat and Cambridge Bay teams did not make it in due to weather, but they will be doing the same competition scopes and assessed in their own communities," said program co-ordinator Bibi Bilodeau. The other communities competing were Kugluktuk, Taloyoak, Arviat, Coral Harbour, Arctic Bay, Pond Inlet, Hall Beach, Iglulik, Pangnirtung and Iqaluit.
Youth excelled in 19 categories, and competitions took place at Inuksuk High School, Nunavut Arctic College's shop and the Community and Government Services warehouse.
"With the exception of Northern fashions and secondary-level aesthetics, all high-scoring gold medalists will go on to represent Nunavut at the National Skills Canada Competition in Winnipeg, May 31 to June 3," said Bilodeau.
"We had free training workshops and orientation sessions for each competition area on Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday was the competition," said Bilodeau.
Competition lasted all day, with carpentry and electrical installations beginning at 8 a.m. and others beginning an hour later at 9 a.m.
A dinner banquet with award presentation was held the final evening.
"We had a strong team this year and we expect most of our competitors qualified for nationals," said Bilodeau.
"Even with limited resources in their communities, our competitors have once again proven that with determination and support they can accomplish anything."
Bilodeau adds: "The territory as a whole really needs to provide more opportunities - training, workshops, programs and events - for youth, as they are anxious for more opportunities like the territorial skills competition to come together, learn, and succeed in a public setting."
