Port McNeill's Morgan Brown was one of 17 B.C. students and apprentices honoured last week by the Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology for placing among the winners in the 2012 Skills Canada National Competition in Edmonton.
The recognition ceremony took place in Vancouver as the province announced it will host the 2013 national competition next June at BC Place.
Brown, who recently graduated from the carpentry apprenticeship program at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, was one of only five gold-medal winners from B.C. in the national competition. The competition gathered more than 500 competitors in 40 trade and technology contest categories ranging from baking to welding to 3-D computer animation.
Brown, a 2009 graduate of North Island Secondary School, won the post-secondary carpentry award, following up on his gold-medal showing in the B.C. Skills Canada Competition. He has since earned his certification as a Red Seal carpenter and this week began a new job on the Kokish River hydroelectric project being constructed by Kiewit Corporation.
He did not attend last week's recognition ceremony in Vancouver due to work commitments.
Which, in essence, is the goal of the Skills Canada program.
"The foundation of our Skills and Training Plan is to prepare B.C. for the jobs of tomorrow by matching our education system with our economy," said Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs, Tourism, Skills and Training. "With a strong focus on regional skills needs, we are working to ensure labour supply meets demand and that British Columbians are first in line for new jobs. I would like to congratulate these outstanding B.C. students and wish them every success in their future careers."
In all, B.C. competitors took home five gold, five silver and seven bronze medals from the national competition.