Ontario sheet metal competition showcases skilled trades

Sheet metal worker apprentices from across Ontario are showing their stuff in Thunder Bay this week.

The 51st Annual Sheet Metal Apprenticeship Competition is taking place in the city, with a trip to the national competition up for grabs.

But beyond the competition itself, the event is showcasing the importance of skilled trades in the province.

"It's a two-day competition," said Chris Paswisty, director of Canadian affairs with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Ai, Rail and Transportation Workers, or SMART Canada. "The first day they do a theory test and also a pattern drafting test."

"Then on the second day, they have the full day to do their practical exam."

Each year, the competitors are tasked with building a model based on something from the area; in Thunder Bay, the competition involved building a model snowblower.

The finished products will be judged, and the winners will be announced at a banquet scheduled for Thursday night; they'll then go on to compete at the Canadian national competition

But another key part of the competition is its location: Paswisty said it's always held in a public area, so the apprentices can show their skills publicly; in Thunder Bay, it was held at Marina Park.

Scott Wood, provincial training director with the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre, said sheet metal work is "a type of career thatyoucan have two different avenues."

"You can work in a shop, you can work on a job site," he said. "There's a lot of opportunities to do other things."

"There's a lot of different avenues you can take becoming business managers, business agents, organizers, executive board members throughout the locals," Wood said. "There's so many things and so many facets that we try and cover."

Paswisty said the industry is always looking for more workers.

"There's a great opportunity here when we look at the forecast of work, and work that's ahead of us retrofitting buildings, getting to carbon zeroby 2050," he said. "There's a great future in the sheet metal, roofing trades in general."

Wood said there are opportunities for those interested in getting into the trade.

"Generally if you're looking to get into the trade, you're looking at possibly getting registered with the ministry to become a registered apprentice," he said. "Typicallyour local unions across the province, they always are looking for apprentices and a lot of times locations will do intakes."

Applicants would be required to do an aptitude test, Wood said.

"Once you get through that process, then you're gonna start looking to get a job, or the union'sgonna place you," Wood said. "The owners and the business managers of the unions work together."

"We're always trying to get young apprentices and new apprentices into the trade."