Two Foothills Composite students can now say they've been to the east coast and have competed against the best of the best in all of Canada.

Comm Tech Teacher; Benjamin Stevens with Williams and Sim at Nationals. Photo Courtesy: Benjamin Stevens

 Richard Williams and Joshua Sim competed in the Skills Canada Competition and represented as Team Alberta for the Television and Video Production trade last week.

Comm Tech Teacher at FCHS/AHSFA Benjamin Stevens coached the young men through the regional, provincial and national level and says it's a great opportunity for any student.

"The Skills Canada Competitions are a set of trade based competitions and it's a tremendous opportunity for students across a wide variety of trades to participate and try themselves against others across the country..there is opportunity to advance yourself...and hopefully explore a passion that could lead to a career down the road."

The boys came first in regional's and actually got drawn out of a hat for provincials to represent the province, as provincials was cancelled due to the Fort McMurray wildfires.

Though they joke that it was luck that got them to Moncton, New Brunswick Sim and Williams think it was some of their best work they came up with at nationals.

Williams says, "I am really proud... for the time constraints it was the best work I've ever done... I was really happy with the video, there was definitely some mistakes that were easily fixable... if we had just another half an hour it would have been a much better video. But I am quite happy with what we were able to do with what experience we have and the amount of time, so I am just really happy."

Sim and Williams had to make a two to two and a half minute video in 8 hours focusing on a trade at the competition and a 30 second video in 4 hours about the competition in general.

Stevens says he was pleased with how well the two students handled the pressure.

"My expectations were for myself and my team to go and have a great time...and they preformed very well and one of the reasons it was a pleasure to take these two was because the attitudes they brought going into it. So you wouldn't have known it was a national competition for them, they just took it head on with smiles on their faces and put in a very good performance."

In the end it was Nova Scotia that took the title for the TV and Video Production trade with Manitoba placing second and British Columbia placing third.

Both Williams and Sim are grateful for the experience, especially as it was Williams' Senior year and making it to nationals was the cherry on top.

The Foothills Composite team is still waiting to hear how they ranked in the top 13 but for gold, silver or bronze results of the Skills Canada National Competition click here.

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Sim and Williams competing at the Skills Competition.