Grad nails skills contest

By Sonia Morin

mori0172@algonquincollege.com

Scott Blair, a graduate of the carpentry apprenticeship program, is one of 37 competitors who will represent Canada at the 40th WorldSkills Competition in Calgary next year.

For Blair, 20, a newly licensed carpenter from the small town of Westport, Ont., his love of building and crafting began at a young age.

“I’ve always liked building things and working with wood. I remember making those big structures with K’nex as a kid,” he said.

During high school Blair started buying his own tools and working in the family’s large workshop at home, where he spent nine to 10 hours a week. He started his own business making furniture. “It definitely improved my skills,” he said.

His skills won him gold medals in 2005 and 2008 at Skills Ontario provincial competitions.

“I had to build a children’s playhouse in two days at the 2008 competition,” he said. “It was fairly complex. Out of the 12 competitors, I was one of only six who finished.”

He brought home a silver and bronze medal from the National Skills Competition where he qualified for the WorldSkills Competition.

It will be Blair’s first time participating in the WorldSkills Competition next year.

“It’s a once in a lifetime experience,” he said about representing Team Canada. “I’ll give it my best effort, all 100 per cent of my qualifications, and hopefully get a silver or gold medal.”

However, such hopes require time and training. Blair trains about 15 to 20 hours a week with his trainers, Mike Nauth and Daniel Brigham.

He practices on different projects, mastering different types of cuts and layouts each time.

“It has to be perfect and fast because one aspect of the competition has to do with timing,” said Blair.

Brigham has been training Blair since September of this year and will be accompanying him to Calgary next year.

 “He’s very goal-oriented, focused and thorough,” said Brigham. “Scott is a natural talent. He has beautiful craftsmanship.”

The WorldSkills Competition showcases students from Canada and around the world competing in skilled trades and technology contests, where each vie to be crowned the best in their chosen discipline. More than 40 skill categories are tested, from welding to cooking, auto body repair to landscape gardening, and plumbing to web design.

Manager of communications and media relations for the WorldSkills Competition, Alex Middleton, said it’s impossible to predict how Team Canada will fare but he has high hopes for their success.“I think generally the technical institutes are doing a great job of preparing students for a career in trades and technology and arguably a better job at providing their students with the real world skills they'll need to succeed in the workforce,” he said.