Holy Rosary High School (HRHS) is making a name for itself in skilled trades.
The school’s welding team swept the podium at the recent Skills Canada regionals at Lakeland College. The bigger story, however, is the entire HRHS Skills Team.
HRHS has 28 students and six staff preparing for 13 unique contest areas. At the regional event, 21 students competed, and 10 advanced to provincials. Another seven students earned direct entry into provincial contests.
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“This is not a typical scenario for schools across Alberta,” said Kevin Bender, welding teacher and Skills Canada coach. “This is happening because of the hard work and professionalism of the skills team at HRHS.”
Bender credits the school’s success to support from the Lloydminster Catholic School Division (LCSD).
“Our programming is well supported,” he said. “We prioritize life skills and see the value in hands-on learning.”
Hard work pays off
Bender said dedicated students and focused training led to HRHS sweeping the welding podium.
“Excellent students combined with focused practice,” he said.
Additionally, HRHS students trained using Skills Alberta project plans and competition details.
“We practiced all required welding techniques and positions before the event,” said Bender. “Time management and visualizing the weld before starting were also big focuses.”
Training covered PPE use, power tool safety, and blueprint reading. Students also worked on welding symbols, material prep, and key welding techniques like gas metal arc welding and shielded metal arc welding.
Under pressure
Competition day brought its share of challenges.
“It’s a high-pressure, timed event with skilled professional welders watching,” said Bender. “Everyone will make small mistakes.”
Meanwhile, Bender provided this piece of advice on gameday.
“Do your best, don’t worry about small errors, and show them what you know,” he said. “Make sure to finish the project and have fun.”
Visualization a key
“We worked on visualizing the weld and moving hands three times along the weld path before starting,” said Bender. “This helped them think about all the variables before completing the work.”
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Furthermore, HRHS students also benefited from high-quality facilities and equipment.
“We are very fortunate to practice in our new welding facility,” explained Bender. “LCSD has been extremely supportive, and we have access to industry-standard equipment.”
Grants from the CWB Welding Foundation have helped the program grow. Additionally, local businesses like Foremost in Lloydminster and Lakeland College have also provided support.
“Students have an excellent learning environment focused on real-life skills,” said Bender.
The future is bright
Bender saw major improvements in all competitors.
“They are Grade 11 students that met an industry standard in an extremely challenging trade,” he said. “I would hire any one of them if I had my own business.”
He believes welding will open many doors for students.
“Welding is a great life skill that overlaps many trades and careers,” said Bender. “If you can learn to weld, you can learn to do anything.”
He encourages students to keep pushing forward.
“Be willing to try new things, make mistakes, and put in the work to get results,” he said. “These competitions build critical thinking, communication, and character.”
With HRHS students excelling in multiple trade areas, the school is proving skilled trades education is moving in the right direction locally.
Read more: Try-A-Trade primes youth for careers
