Trades ‘athletes’ to test skills against best in the world
Ryan Matsuba is representing Canada next week at a major international competition but, unlike an Olympic athlete, he doubts stepping on to this world stage will make him a household name.
The Spruce Grove refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic will be in Abu Dhabi as part of Team Canada at the 44th WorldSkills Competition, the largest vocational, education and skills excellence contest in the world.
About 100,000 spectators, mainly students, are expected to attend the event from Oct. 14 to 19, which will see 1,300 participants from 60 countries test themselves against international standards in their occupational area.
However, the 21-year-old journeyman admits the event — open to people under age 23 in more than 50 disciplines — doesn’t have a high profile back home, he said Friday.
“Not many people know about Skills Canada or the skills competition. Anybody I talk to asks ‘What’s that?’ I tell them and they’re very intrigued,” said Matsuba, a NAIT apprentice when he qualified.
“It’s definitely something that’s not well known, but it’s definitely starting to grow.”
The 31 Team Canada members, including NAIT’s Matsuba, Aaron Taves (auto service) and Ryley LaFrance (industrial control), were chosen after last year’s national Skills Canada competition.
Matsuba and 22 rivals in Abu Dhabi will have 17 hours to turn a table full of components into a working refrigeration system using supplied drawings and instructions.
The mock-up they’re constructing in the Persian Gulf country is intended to run a small-scale rink ice plant.
He will have another three hours to troubleshoot a malfunctioning piece of equipment. Winners receive gold medals.
“I thought it would be a very interesting opportunity to be able to become better at my trade and show my skill level and just take every opportunity I can to be the best mechanic I can possibly be.”
Matsuba has assembled the plant a half-dozen times while training during weekends since March and full-time for the last three weeks with his uncle, Todd Matsuba, head of NAIT’s department of electrical installations.
(The WorldSkills event is designed) to break those stereotypes that trades are for people as a backup plan.
Todd Matsuba, who has taken team members to WorldSkills competitions in England and Germany, said one reason for the event is to encourage people to consider trades careers.
“It’s to break those stereotypes that trades are for people as a backup plan. This gives us an opportunity to promote what we do every day and how excellent your life can be if you follow these paths,” he said.
“These young people are so good at what they do, they compare to some of the most experienced journeymen out there … To walk around and see what’s going on, it’s mind-blowing.”