SD73 students try trades as Heavy Metal Rocks returns for 18th year

Students like Brooklyn Baker who were picked got plenty of hands-on experience on a number of different machines. The Grade 12 student wants to soak in the entire experience, and then springboard it into a career in the trades.

“Getting into this type of industry, whether it be the forestry side or the construction side, it’s the type of work that makes you good money,” Baker said. “Being a young mom, I need that to set me and my daughter up for the best success that I can.”

Over the last three days, students got to work under the supervision of industry professionals like Stu Ford, a heavy equipment operator who takes time off work if he has to, as he wants to help train the next generation.

“Every one of these kids is extremely lucky to have this opportunity,” Ford said. “I never had it when I was in high school, so I make sure I tell every one of them just how fortunate they are. It’s a goal for them to strive towards.”

“There’s so many different stations with so many different companies involved and they get a little bit of this, a little bit of that covering all aspects of it.”

“They come out of here with a lot of tickets like first aid and traffic control, flagging tickets, they get a good idea of what the industry offers,” Karl Walden, a former student-turned-instructor added. “It also gives a chance to run some equipment that not everybody’s going to ever be able to touch.”

Students also get certifications in things like first aid, site safety, WHMIS, forklift operation, and aerial platform lift operation. But the highlight is the ability to trade desks and hallways for hard hats and high visibility vests before getting behind the controls of some really large machines.

“Definitely the the excavators, those are pretty cool,” Baker said. “There have been a couple pieces of equipment that I’ve been on that are not for me. But with those pieces of equipment, once you get the hang of it that’s when it’s ‘go, go, go.'”

“It’s not about making them an operator,” Ford added. “It’s about giving them experience and seeing what this machine can do and what you can do with it. And yeah, it’s giving them a chance to run it and have fun.”

School district officials are confident that the 120 companies and sponsors that donate their time, equipment and supplies see the benefit of the program. With the demand for tradespeople remaining high, they’re also proud of how the community comes together to support the next generation.

“We can talk about the program until we’re blue in the face or we can watch videos, but it’s nothing until you actually come up to the pit and see how everybody comes together as a team [that you get the sense of what it’s about,” Collins added.

“We’ve got several companies up here that are competitors in industry, but they come together for this program because they know it’s good for our youth and our future workers.”

by Victor Kaisar

SD73 students try trades as Heavy Metal Rocks returns for 18th year

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