ARVIAT
The 10 John Arnalukjuak High School (JAHS) students who participated in the annual Skills Nunavut competition in Iqaluit put in one of Arviat's best showings at the competition earlier this month.

Arviat's Candace Angalik reads her instructions while on the way to a bronze medal in the Cooking category of the Skills Nunavut competition in Iqaluit on April 12, 2017. (bgordb@hotmail.com) - Photo courtesy of Gord Billard

All 10 students earned a medal at the competition with three – Ethan Tassiuk and Kevin Mikiyungiak in TV/video production and Damaris Nutarasungnik in photography – qualifying to participate at the Skills Canada national competition at the Winnipeg Convention Centre from May 31 to June 3.

More than 500 youth participants and 18,000 visitors are expect to descend upon Winnipeg for the event.

Skills participants compete in local, regional, territorial and provincial competitions to earn the right to attend the national trades-and-technology competition.

Arviat teacher Gord Billard has overseen the JAHS students' preparation for the TV/Video Production category at the competition, and accompanied them to Iqaluit for the past seven years.

Billard said he was extremely proud of the performance put in by every JAHS student in Iqaluit earlier this month.

He said earning the right to compete at the national event is a tremendous learning and skills-development opportunity for Tassiuk, Mikiyungiak and Nutarasungnik.

"There were four good teams in the TV/Video Production category this year, so there was real competition for them in Iqaluit, which wasn't always the case in some previous years," said Billard.

"They got the gold fair and square, as did Damaris (Nutarasungnik) with four competitors in the Photography category.

"She took some truly amazing pictures to win the gold, while also scoring high enough to attend the nationals.

"Meeka Koomuk took gold in the Aesthetics category, as well, but she was in a situation where she was the only participant because the competitors from Naujaat and two other communities didn't make it in because of bad weather, and you always feel bad for the students who put so much time into preparing for the event when that happens."

Rounding out JAHS's strong showing at the Skills Nunavut competition were Mallory Okatsiak winning gold in hairstyling, Megan Tassiuk taking silver in public speaking and bronze in hairstyling, Roxanne Gibbons taking silver in job demonstration and Robyn Koomuk silver in Northern fashion, while earning bronze were Crystal Kalluak in job interview, Candace Angalik in baking and Megan Tassiuk in hairstyling.

Billard said he's a big advocate for trades-and-technology training in Nunavut.

He said he would find it easy to be a spokesperson for Skills Canada and/or Skills Nunavut, because there's so much opportunity in the trades across the territory.

"More Nunavut students should aspire to become skilled tradespeople or technologists, rather than looking at the academic route and university.

"It's not that we don't need those things, as well, but a lot of our students are more suited to trades and technology because they are more hands-on and drawn to those sorts of occupations, which is why I don't understand why the trade school in Rankin Inlet isn't full to bursting at the seams.

"The people who come to fix my furnace or plumbing in Arviat are people from the south, with maybe a young Inuk helping out behind them, and I imagine you'd find mostly the same situation in every community across Nunavut."

Billard said there's really no reason why the majority of trades positions in Nunavut can't be occupied by Inuit.

He said he's not sure if trades training is just not being promoted properly, or what some of the other underlying reasons may be, but a lot more Kivalliq students should be looking at the skilled trades as a viable career option.

'Good paying career'

"We have to get the message out in a way more kids appreciate that the trades provide a darn good paying career, and they give you a good chance of being able to stay in the Kivalliq, which is what this region needs more of.

"You go to Skills Nunavut in Iqaluit and there's a certain degree of excitement in the air, as well as a bit of tension, because you're meeting people you're going to be competing against who you also want to form friendships with.

"The program leadership has been quite strong there the past two or three years, and it really seeps down through the rest of the group when the leadership is as passionate and enthusiastic about what they're doing as you are.

"It also gives you a bit of hope to see what the kids produce there, and how much time they put into it, and it inspires you to keep on with what you're doing."

Nutarasungnik said she first got interested in photography as a fun hobby about three years ago.

She said she really didn't think she'd get a medal, let alone gold, at the competition because she was running out of time while nearing the end.

"I practiced steadily for five months before going to the territorial competition," said Nutarasungnik.

"I enjoy taking pictures, but my favourite part of it all is the editing because I like to make adjustments to my photos.

"The most enjoyable part of the competition, to me, was making new friends who have the same interests as me.

"I feel confident about going to the nationals, but I'm also a little nervous."

Koomuk said she got into the skills program while learning how to sew.

'Practiced for a day'

She said as she started sewing better, she got more interested in the Skills Nunavut competition and the chance to learn how to sew new things.

"I practiced for a day in Iqaluit before the actual competition because we were given that day to cut out the pattern before sewing it on the competition day.

"I didn't really think I would win a medal at the competition, but sometimes you try something new and you succeed at what you do.

"Another thing I really liked about the competition was being able to make a lot of new friends from different towns and talking to them about what they do in their town."

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