On May 26 - 27, over 350 students and apprentices from across Canada competed in the 2022 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC)  for the title of national champion in over 45 Skill Areas at the Vancouver Convention Centre and virtually.

Medals were awarded to the top competitors in skilled trade and technology sectors, including transportation, construction, manufacturing and engineering, information technology, services and employment.

Leah Lucyshyn emerged victorious and won the RBC Best of Region award for Saskatchewan at the 2022 Skills Canada National Competition that took place in Vancouver.

 Lucyshyn is a graduate of the Graphic Communications diploma program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, who participated in the Graphic Design Technology competition. 

During SCNC, over 3,000 student visitors, industry leaders, government officials and industry celebrities watched the competition, with some taking part in a couple of onsite activities such as the Skills for Success Stage and over 40 Try-A-Trade and Technology activities. 

HGTV’s Kate Campbell, the Honourable Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education & Skills Training, and the Honourable Andrew Mercier, Parliamentary Secretary for Skills Training, were also on-site and toured the event.

“The whole experience was surreal,” says Lucyshyn. “After competing in multiple online competitions I couldn’t believe I finally had the opportunity to travel for the National Competition, and was in denial that it would actually happen until we got on the plane.”

The RBC Best of the Region Awards were awarded at the 2022 Skills Canada National Competition to the competitor with the best-weighted score from each province and territory. 

“I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without my instructors who saw the potential and never stopped pushing me to be nothing but my best. The RBC Best of Region award will allow me to invest in illustration tools and software.”

In a release by the SCNC, it states its goal is to engage Canadian youth and promote all the exciting and lucrative careers available to them in the skilled trade and technologies. 

“Events like the Skills Canada National Competition encourage Canadian youth to explore and discover skilled trade and technology careers through interactive activities. It also allows us to raise awareness of these important careers to our future workforce,” said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer, Skills/Compétences Canada.

The event is made possible from the Funding of the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, as well as UA Canada and TC Energy, states the SCNC. 

Next year's Skills Canada National Competition will be held at the RBC Convention Centre, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on May 25-26, 2023.