Claim OwnershipSkillz & Thrillz: Alberta's Trade & Tech Youth
Subscribed: 0Played: 4
Subscribe
© 2025 Skillz & Thrillz: Alberta's Trade & Tech Youth
Description
Through in-depth conversations, we aim to provide valuable advice and insightful perspectives on the impact of the Skills Canada competitions on the careers and lives of our guests. Join us as we explore the journeys of Alumni and many others and uncover the lasting effects of their participation in the Skills Canada Competitions.
The views and opinions expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Skills Canada Alberta or its affiliates. Our goal is to provide a platform for the diverse and unique perspectives and experiences of our Alumni and others in the Skills community. Overall, we are celebrating their experiences and journeys in the trades, technologies, and our competitions. The “Skills Canada Alberta” name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner, and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.
26 Episodes
Reverse
Welcome to another episode of the Team Canada Podcast Series! In this episode, we sit down with Keegan Sturge, who will be representing Canada in Electrical Installations at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. Hailing from Fort McMurray, Keegan is making history as the first-ever competitor from Fort McMurray to take the world stage at WorldSkills. His Skills journey began back in high school, where he first got involved in Skills competitions. He continued competing through his time at Keyano College...
Welcome to another episode of the Team Canada Podcast Series! In this episode, we sit down with Tate McGarry, who will be representing Canada in Cabinet Making at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. Tate’s love for woodworking started long before his time at SAIT, where he later honed his skills and discovered his competitive drive. After first competing in Carpentry, he found his niche in Cabinet Making, a trade that perfectly combines his creativity and precision. His commitment to excellence ...
Welcome to another episode of the Team Canada Podcast Series! In this episode, we sit down with Team Canada competitor Carter Kokot, who will be representing Canada in Automobile Technology at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. Carter’s journey began at SAIT, where his dad, who was also an instructor, encouraged him to compete in the Skills competitions while he was pursuing his studies. Growing up with a lifelong passion for cars, Carter’s dedication and determination have driven him from competing ...
Welcome to another episode of the Team Canada Podcast Series! In this episode, we sit down with Team Canada competitor Lucas Stang, who will be representing Canada in Welding at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. Lucas’s journey began at Red Deer Polytechnic, where his trainer, Lee Yasinski, encouraged him to compete in the Skills competitions while he was completing his welding program. From that first competition to earning his spot on Team Canada, Lucas’s path has been forged through dedication, p...
Welcome to another episode of the Team Canada Podcast Series! In this episode, we sit down with Team Canada competitor Benjamin Jamison, who will be representing Canada in Aerospace Technology. Benjamin shares his passion for aircraft and his journey through the Skills competitions, including competing at the national level twice before earning his spot on Team Canada. We talk about his training, what drives his interest in aerospace, and his excitement for taking his skills to the world stag...
Welcome to the first episode of the Team Canada Podcast Series! In this episode, we sit down with Team Canada competitor Luke Emeny, who will be representing Canada in Heavy Vehicle Technology. Luke shares his Skills journey, from training and preparation to the moment he secured his spot on Team Canada. We talk about his excitement for competing on the world stage in Shanghai, China in 2026, and what he’s most looking forward to. This is just the beginning of Luke’s story—we’ll be catc...
Breanne and Kehli Warrington are sisters in the trade! Together, they’ve built their careers in Mechanical Insulation — studying side by side at NAIT, working on-site together, and most recently, competing together at the 2025 Provincial Skills Canada Competition, where they proudly brought home silver and bronze. In this episode, they share what it’s like to navigate the trades as sisters, the challenges and rewards of competing, and how their shared journey has shaped their careers. T...
In this episode, we sit down with Kade Hamre and Marek Fournier from Brooks Composite High School, the robotics duo who powered their way to gold at the 2025 Provincial Skills Canada Competition—earning a spot on Team Alberta—and went on to claim silver at the 2025 Nationals in Regina. Kade and Marek share what it was like to prepare for competition, the challenges of designing and building a successful robot, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. From long hours of testing to the th...
In this episode, we sit down with Diego De Dominicis Barrios, gold medalist in Electronics Secondary at the 2025 Provincial Skills Canada Competition. His win earned him a spot on Team Alberta for the 2025 Skills Canada National Competition in Regina, Saskatchewan—where he also took home the Team Spirit Award alongside his Ernest Manning classmate, Amal Hussainy. Diego shares his inspiring Skills journey, what it was like to train and compete at such a high level, and the incredible support h...
In this episode, we chat with Mikayla Hannesschlager, gold medalist in Bricklaying at the 2025 Provincial Skills Canada Competition and proud member of Team Alberta at the 2025 Skills Canada National Competition in Regina. Mikayla shares her journey into the skilled trades, growing up in a family of bricklayers and finding her own path in refractory work—carving a unique space in a field where her family specializes in red brick. She opens up about the training and mentorship that shaped her ...
In this episode, we sit down with Rachel Turner, gold medalist at the 2018 Provincial Skills Canada Competition in Photography and bronze medalist at Nationals—as she shares her inspiring journey through the world of Skills competitions and beyond. Rachel opens up about the challenges she faced and the lessons she learned, including how overcoming self-doubt played a major role in her success. She reflects on the invaluable mentorship she received from Lance Burns and how his guidance helped ...
In this episode, we sit down with Zack Hartle, a Skills Canada Alberta alumnus, two-time gold medalist in Industrial Control, Electrical Trades Instructor at SAIT, and co-host of the Watts the Word podcast. Zack shares his inspiring journey from competing in Skills competitions to representing Canada at WorldSkills Germany, and how those experiences shaped his career path. Now a Provincial Technical Committee member and passionate educator, Zack discusses launching a podcast with Jason ...
In this episode, we sit down with Veronica Kjolberg, a proud Skills Canada Alberta alumna whose journey is nothing short of inspiring. Veronica competed in 2022 and 2023, capturing gold at the 2023 Skills Canada National Competition in Winnipeg. In 2024, she took her passion even further by representing Team Alberta at the Skills for Success Youth Assembly in Quebec. Veronica walks us through the highs, the lessons, and the unforgettable moments of her Skills experience. She also shares her b...
In this episode, we’re taking a look back at some of the incredible advice shared by Skills Canada Alberta alumni featured in past episodes. Whether you're gearing up for the 2025 Provincial Skills Canada Competition or preparing for future competitions, these tips are here to help you feel confident, calm your nerves, and set you up for success on your skills journey. Remember, you’ve got this! Good luck from all of us at Skills Canada Alberta!
In our first-ever joint episode, we’re joined by Laine Van Hardeveld and Taylor Desjardins, two standout Skills alumni whose paths crossed in the most inspiring way. Laine, a Mechatronics and Millwrights competitor and Skills Canada Alberta’s 2024 Alumni of the Year, and Taylor, a Cabinet Making competitor who went on to represent Canada at WorldSkills Russia, share how their friendship began and blossomed through the Skills competitions. From competing at the 2018 Provincial Skills Canada Co...
In this episode, we sit down with Brittany Kellow, a Teaching Assistant at the Aesthetics Institute, whose Skills story began in 2018 with a creative special effects makeup demonstration in the Job Skill Demonstration competition. After refining her approach and simplifying her presentation the following year, Brittany struck gold—earning her a spot on Team Alberta and a trip to the 2019 Skills Canada National Competition in Halifax. Brittany shares her path from crafting and presenting reali...
In this episode, we sit down with Tim Wong, whose Skills journey began in high school and continued into post-secondary. In 2016, he competed at the Provincial Skills Canada Competition, placing 1st and earning a spot on Team Alberta. He went on to represent Alberta at the Skills Canada National Competition in New Brunswick. Tim’s dedication to Skills didn’t stop there. In 2023, he was named Alumni of the Year for his contributions to the Skills community and through his role on the Pro...
In this episode, we sit down with Amy Herndon, a Skills Canada Alberta alum whose passion for fashion has taken her from competition runways to film and television sets! Amy competed in Fashion Technology in 2012/2013, winning gold at the Provincial Skills Canada Competition and silver at Nationals in Vancouver. Since then, her career has evolved in incredible ways—starting with high-fashion runway designs and leading to a thriving career in costume specialty builds for film and television. M...
In this episode, we sit down with Tyler Cherkowski, a passionate and talented competitor in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning. Tyler’s journey through Skills competitions has been nothing short of incredible—he won gold at the 2023 Provincial Skills Canada Competition, competed at Nationals, and represented Canada on the world stage at the 2024 WorldSkills Competition in Lyon, France. Tyler shares how he discovered his passion for refrigeration, fascinated by the science behind cooling syste...
In this episode, we sit down with Sierrah Bennett, a gold medalist in video production at both the provincial and national Skills Canada competitions. Growing up in Lloydminster, Sierrah never let the size of her hometown define the scope of her dreams. She shares how she pushed past doubts, proved her talent on the Skills stage, and embraced the mindset that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. We dive into her transition from video production to photography, her creative growth, a...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States