The Saskatchewan Polytechnic campus in Saskatoon was a little busier than usual on Friday, as 500 extra students were there to take part in the annual Skills Canada Saskatchewan Provincial Competition.

Devin Milligan is on the Board of Directors for Skills Saskatchewan. He says high school and college students from across the province are competing in over 52 different trade competitions, such as robotics, animation, hair styling, and carpentry.

“They’re coming from all over the province. From way up north, where they’d have to be flying in, to the corners of Swift Current,” he says. “The students that are here already would have had to compete regionally out of their school, so there would be a regional competition and then they come to provincials. The first place out of post-secondary and secondary would then go to nationals, which Regina is actually hosting this year.”

The winners from nationals will get to represent Canada in Shanghai next year, where they will try to become a world champion in their trade.

This year, Milligan is in charge of the welding competition, which he says hosts 20 participants and takes a daunting six hours to complete.

“It’s a lot of work. They’re tired,” he admitted.

He encourages everyone to take up a trade, as the training is often subsidized, and there is a current shortage of skilled labourers.

“There is a big shortage of welding and the trades that welding falls into. I think the last number I heard, between the prairies, or the west, we’re short over 10,000 welders.”