SHEET METAL INDUSTRY TRAINING BOARD
SHEET METAL WORKERS TRAINING CENTRE SOCIETY
Sheet metal contests spotlight workers’ skills, precision, creativity, and reinforce technical expertise, highlighting their talent and dedication to excellence within the industry.
These contests simulate real-world challenges, helping sheet metal workers improve accuracy and speed, encourage innovation and problem-solving, and refine their craft.
Competitors build their skills by gaining confidence through peer benchmarking and constructive feedback while deepening understanding of industry standards.
The Sheet Metal Workers’ Training Centre hosts its annual competition each November, bringing together contestants competing across four levels and representing multiple contractors.
In November 2024, we had 17 apprentices who put their skills and creativity to the test. Each contestant competed in theory, drawing, welding, and shop projects in timed challenges.
Let’s celebrate the 2024 SMWTC Annual Apprentice Contest winners:
• Dorian Escamilla, Piedmont Sheet Metal (1997) Ltd.
• Jacob Smith, Smith Sheet Metal Works Ltd.
• Adam LaBar, Spectrum Sheet Metal Ltd.
• Natasha Hua, Modern Niagara Vancouver Inc.
These contests are a great success thanks to our incredible sponsors and their generous contributions. Competitors receive door prizes and winners have the opportunity to represent SMWTC at BC Skills.
Saturday November 22, 2025
Watch for invites for this year’s upcoming contest. Come showcase your talent!
The Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre Society (SMWTCS) proudly participated in the 2025 Skills Canada BC Provincial Competition, held on April 16 at the Abbotsford Trade and Exhibition Centre. This high-energy competition brought together top apprentices from across the province to compete in various skilled trades, including sheet metal work.
SMWTCS apprentice Adam LaBar of Spectrum Sheet Metal Ltd. showcased his skills and secured the bronze medal. The complete results were:
Gold: Mark Holowachuk (Okanagan College)
Silver: Adi Purnomo (British Columbia Institute of Technology)
Bronze: Adam LaBar (Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre)
The contest highlights individual talent but also contributes to the advancement of skills within the sheet metal industry. Congratulations to all the contestants!
Over 500 of Canada’s top students and apprentices competed in 40+ skilled trade and technology contests. The event featured Try-A-Trade® activities, exhibitor booths, and more!
Skilled sheet metal competitors tackled a project modelled after the World’s Largest Coffee Pot — a landmark in Davidson, Saskatchewan.
Our head instructor, Jake LeBlanc, was onsite representing British Columbia on the National Technical Committee for Sheet Metal at Skills Canada.
The Alex Donaldson Award is presented annually to the top apprentice from SMART Local 280 and SMACNA-BC, recognizing excellence in the sheet metal trade.
Named in memory of Alex Donaldson, a dedicated Local 280 member committed to apprenticeships and training, the award honors the apprentice who excels in the Level 4 competition at the Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre Society (SMWTCS) Annual Apprentice Contest. This recipient earns the opportunity to represent their local union and SMACNA-BC at the Canadian Council’s Sheet Metal Apprentice Competition, held annually across the country.
Colin Nam from Apollo Sheet Metal received the Alex Donaldson Award in November 2024, being honored as the Top Apprentice at the SMACNA-BC event.
Colin was the 2023 SMWTC Apprentice Contest Winner, 4th place competitor at the Canadian Council’s Sheet Metal Apprentice Competition and the Franco Pederzini Memorial Award recipient last year.
The Franco Pederzini Memorial Award is a $1,000 scholarship presented annually to the Level 4 winner of the Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre (SMWTC) Annual Apprentice Contest.
Established by Apollo Sheet Metal Ltd. in memory of Franco Pederzini — a former SMITB Trustee and SMWTCS Director (2018–2019)— the award honors his dedication to apprenticeship training and the sheet metal trade.
In recognition of her excellence in the trade, congratulations to Natasha Hua as the 2024 award recipient. Natasha was the 2024 SMWTC Apprentice Contest Level 4 Winner and will be competing at the Canadian Council’s Sheet Metal Apprentice Competition in July. Wish her luck!
It’s been an outstanding year turning out graduates from our Main & Valley locations. We’ve had 4 successful classes with everyone passing!
• 3 sheet metal (Level 4) classes
• 1 architectural sheet metal (Level 3) class
These students’ hard work and dedication to educational excellence was recognized by their instructors. Well done!
Our training centres are a showcase of incredible craftsmanship and technical ability by our talented level 4 students. At both the Main and Valley locations, these student projects add “character” to the space, inspiring future students to tap into their endless ideas and creativity!
We’d love to showcase more of the great work happening in our classes. If your project isn’t included in this edition, send your photos to media@smwtcs.ca and we’ll include them in our next newsletter and social media feed.
In partnership with BC Building Trades, a crew of young adults participate in a Trade ambassador program to advocate for the trades to high school students via a presentation and games. Nicole Pasqualini represented the College of the BC Building Trades at Skills Canada BC on April 16, 2025.
SMWTCS was invited to instruct a sheet metal “try a trade” for indigenous women at the Nexw7áỷstwaỷ Training and Trades Centre (Squamish Nation). Jake LeBlanc and Sheila Sadler facilitated a one-week trades sampler program in April.
SMWTCS works with our partner, Skill Plan to implement an assessment process for all apprentices attending technical training. All apprentices, regardless of their citizenship status or country of origin, must demonstrate a satisfactory level of English proficiency, math work problems and document use to support them succeeding in their chosen program.
