The CWB Association Welding Podcast
The CWB Association Welding Podcast
Episode 228 with Calvin Getchell and Max Ceron
The CWB Association had the privilege to attend the Skills Canada New Brunswick Provincial Competition in Saint John, NB. Join us as we bring you special episodes recorded in person to advocate for careers in skilled trades and technology across the country.
Meet Calvin Getchell, a remarkable dual-trade professional whose journey through 12 Skills Canada competitions transformed his career and continues to shape the future of trades in New Brunswick. Now serving as Vice President on the Skills Canada New Brunswick Board of Directors, Calvin gives back to the organization that shaped his career. He actively mentors the next generation, passing on his knowledge while continuing to expand his own credentials, currently working toward a pipefitter ticket through UA Local 213.
Check out: https://www.skillscanadanb.com/
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All right, I can check. Check, I'm good. So I'm Max Duran. Max Duran, cwb Association Welding Podcast, pod pod podcast. Today we have a really cool guest welding podcast. The show is about to begin.
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Speaker 1:Hello and welcome to another edition of the CWB Association podcast. My name is Max Suron and, as always, I'm trying to find the best stories I can across Canada related to the steel trades. This week I have been in beautiful St John, new Brunswick, for Skills New Brunswick and Skills Atlantic, where we have welding competitions happening for both post-secondary and secondary. It has been a fantastic week and I've it has been a fantastic week and I've met wonderful people, amazing stories and I've learned so much about the industry and what's happening out here in New Brunswick. One of the wonderful people that I brought in today to talk to you is Calvin Goetzel, who has been a winner and a champ at skills at many levels, and he is a welder and millwright.
Speaker 1:Dual trades, it's the way they go. How's it going? Very good, thanks for having me. Yeah, for sure, man. So I love seeing dual trades. I'm a dual trade guy myself. I have two red seals. Um, I have three seals in total, so I have a welding red seal, a steel fab red seal and a blue seal in business, which is uh they don't offer it here in new brunswick, but I think they might be soon, awesome.
Speaker 2:I've never heard of it, yeah that's awesome Out west we have it in a few trades.
Speaker 1:It's basically like a business degree, but for your trade. So it's about starting businesses, gotcha. But side note, how are you doing today?
Speaker 2:Great, happy to be here.
Speaker 1:Now I see you as a welder and millwright. Which one would you consider to be your first trade? Welding, Welding.
Speaker 2:Yeah, started that back in high school. I guess you could say in shop classes.
Speaker 1:And are you a local to here? Are you born and raised in New Brunswick?
Speaker 2:Yep, yep, Raised in St Stephen, New Brunswick Awesome awesome.
Speaker 1:Was there a welding program in your high school?
Speaker 2:There was yep. Yep, my instructor was actually a boiler maker, so he had firsthand experience on with welding. So that that was great and he actually introduced me to the skills kind of competitions, which is where I started and what year was that in?
Speaker 1:that would have been in 2011 okay, so this was a while back. Yeah, we were just talking to courtney in the previous podcast and she was talking about how skills kind of was at a low point for a while. So when you came, came in in 2011, was it like this? Was it this big show? Multiple campuses, thousands of people.
Speaker 2:No, no, it was really broken up. So, like you'd have, I did most of my competitions for the high school level in Ormanto, okay, and so it was just a few competitions that would be held there and then the other ones would be, you know, st John Moncton. So, and so it was just a few competitions that would be held there and then the other ones would be, you know, st John Moncton. So they're really spread out. So I really do like this how they're more condensed and you know, yeah, it brings a lot more attention to it.
Speaker 1:Now, when you went through this, how did? How did it happen? You know, you, you get into the welding program and then, as an instructor, someone taps you on the shoulder and says, hey, you thinking about this, or was it like hey, all the students try it and see what happens?
Speaker 2:Yeah, no. Well, it just started Like I was always interested in welding, I wanted just to learn that. So in high school that came up as a course I could take. So I took it and you know, I really actually focused on it. And he just asked me one day. He's like hey, would you, would you like to try a competition next month?
Speaker 2:I was like okay, sure, so yeah. So I did that and I got. I got second that year and when I was in my grade 11 year, yeah, that's pretty good for just walking in cold. Yeah, so I was pretty ecstatic about that and that kind of started everything.
Speaker 1:And then I mean being so young. Now you've got the next year coming up, but were you in grade 11 at that point, yep. So then you still got grade 12 coming up, yep. And was there another welding program offered for grade 12?
Speaker 2:Yep. So we had a four total that we could take, and I maxed that out, of course, and so I had one each semester and uh yeah. So after getting second, I was like I absolutely want to try to get that gold in grade 12 yeah and as much practice as I could and and I did get get the gold in in 2012, my last year okay.
Speaker 1:So 2012, you're in high school, you, you get the gold. Now were you able like I'm not sure how it was back then here, were you able to compete further with that? Did you go to nationals? Yep, I went to nationals. Yeah, yeah, and where was nationals in 2012? Edmonton, edmonton, fun yeah.
Speaker 2:It was fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you're an 18 year old kid.
Speaker 2:Yeah, in Edmonton, from the East, that was my first, biggest, longest flight ever there, and that is a long one. There it is.
Speaker 1:Right. So what was that experience? For an 18-year-old kid to walk into the Nationals, because the Nationals is a big deal, it's big right. What'd that feel?
Speaker 2:like.
Speaker 3:Well, I didn't know it was that big until I went there and I'm looking around and I'm like wow there's a lot of competitions going on.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, going on, and yeah, yeah it was. It was a little stressful, but you know they always are. You're competing, but it was. It was absolutely a blast and and I kept wanting to do it.
Speaker 1:So, um, in grade 12 I I at that point I didn't know what I wanted to do, for, like you were still convinced you wanted to be a welder.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was like university or you know what do I do? And yeah, I remember sitting chemistry class and I'm like I don't want to be in school learning this stuff for another four years, yeah so that's when I applied to uh do welding. I was on the waiting list and then I got mbcc, yep yeah yeah, took that course in uh in st angers yeah, now coming.
Speaker 1:How did you do in edmonton at the? At the national, I didn't place, I came seventh, I think. Yeah, so a medal of excellence, I think they call it yeah, yeah, seventh place. Did that fuel you to want to get back to the national stage?
Speaker 2:yeah, absolutely. Yep, I didn't, uh, I didn't compete in my first year, just because it at that point still it wasn't um, wasn't that big of an compete in my first year just because at that point still it wasn't that big of an event.
Speaker 2:The instructors down there, they weren't involved with it as much, so I never went. But I did get invited to go. At that time it was called the National Youth Forum, so I was invited to go to Vancouver. They picked one person from each province, yeah, and I just kind of helped out and found ways to improve the competitions, all that stuff. They gave us little projects too, so it's still cool, I got to go, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, now that youth format doesn't exist anymore? I don't think, no, I think they call it essential skills.
Speaker 2:now, I can't remember now.
Speaker 1:And then it's skills for change.
Speaker 2:Oh, is it now? Yeah, yeah. And then it's Skills for Change. Oh, is it now?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah yeah, that's right. That's right. So for you as a young man, these opportunities are opening up for welding. You're still kind of on the fence of whether you need to go to university or not, but you're not digging it very much like in high school. At what point did you already make the decision? Okay?
Speaker 3:I'm all in.
Speaker 1:I'm going to go for welding. I'm going to try to do better at skills, but I'm also going to look at this as a career.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So when I was on the waiting list I didn't hear that I got in until a week before classes started. So at that point I'm like, okay, I guess I'm going. Yeah, I plan on taking a year off and working, and I'm glad I never did.
Speaker 1:I'm glad I got in. So you got into the college. How'd you like the experience? How much different was it from high school moving into the college world?
Speaker 2:It was different, for sure, because you're right into it and you got to treat this as if it's a job and you know, work as hard as you can, learn as much as you can and get as many tickets as you can. So, yeah, I worked and I got. My first ticket was the CWB stick S class, and right after that I got my F3, f4 approved ticket pipe ticket, the six inch, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And at that point, what were you thinking for career, like, what kind of work were you thinking you were going to do?
Speaker 2:Well, at first it was at the end of it when, past the block, it was just like I just need to find a job first and get hours yeah. So it started at a small fab shop, which is probably the best place to learn, because you do a lot of fabricating learn a little bit of everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all the equipment we were doing stainless aluminum make tag like just going everywhere and that was absolutely a great experience to to work there and were you still thinking skills during all this, like, where did the skills journey go during this educational process? Yeah, so that first year, like I didn't compete I was kind of disappointed, but you know I wasn't too hurt, I was busy and all that stuff, and then the following year doing my second block, I think it was.
Speaker 2:I think I had a year in there, right, I didn't have enough hours to do a second block, because they usually start in January, you know, and so I competed then and I got second for the province, okay. And then following year, I think, I got another second for the province and then my last year I finally got gold for the province, so right before graduation yes yeah, too bad.
Speaker 1:Red Seals aren't allowed to compete. I keep saying that we need to have our own competition.
Speaker 2:It would be cool.
Speaker 1:Right the Canadian Red Seal weld off or something.
Speaker 2:There we go, right yeah.
Speaker 1:And of course I would win.
Speaker 3:But you know You're not allowed. Wait, why am I not allowed?
Speaker 2:I'm old and shaky.
Speaker 1:now I need cheater lenses now.
Speaker 2:I'm old and shaky now I need cheater lenses now. Yeah, conflict of interest.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you win the gold. Did you go to nationals that year?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that was actually when I was here in New Brunswick 2016.
Speaker 1:Okay, I was here for that. Yeah, awesome. And how'd you do? I won second.
Speaker 2:Got second, yeah, so. I was like oh, I know, and it haunts me to this day Like I remember little things I messed up on that I shouldn't have, like my aluminum yeah, it was like the last spot. I had to do a little fillet weld and it was just screaming hot and that's not good with aluminum.
Speaker 1:Why didn't you just wait 30 seconds? I know it cools off so fast.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I had time. Still haunts me.
Speaker 1:But you know, know, it's good that it that you you learned those lessons right. Because that's one of the things that I'd like to see you know from your point of view is how do you tie your extensive skills journey like you went back to it four times, five times by my list here right between high school and and post-secondary and then you get out to work? How did those skills you learned competing and going through that process, help you in your career on the job?
Speaker 2:yeah, I think it definitely helps because I put a lot of extra time practicing and I think it's just a muscle memory thing, like you got to put the hours in you, you got to just keep welding, learning, and when you get out into the field, like it shows, I guess, yeah well, and things, you're not scared, yeah exactly that too you're more confident. You're like, oh, I've done this, practicing and, and usually with the skills like they, they put you on a level that like red seal, like weird positions and stuff like that that you have to do in the field yeah, yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 1:So you did you end up following through for your red seal with welding, or did you switch trades before that?
Speaker 2:no, I did. I get the red seal. I kept working for two or three years after that. Okay, and then I was like kind of itching. I was like I've always looked at the mill right side. I'm like I really like that Well working with gears and repair and motors.
Speaker 1:it's fine, Exactly.
Speaker 2:And so I bit the bullet and did my 40 week program here actually in the.
Speaker 1:NBCC and yeah, did it all over again. What did everyone in your family think when you were like I'm going back to school when you already have a great job? Well, my brother was a millwright so he thought it was a great idea.
Speaker 2:And then parents are like oh well, you're leaving a full time job and yeah, yeah, I believe you can do it. But you know, that first year is going to be a little hard, not?
Speaker 1:making money, yeah, yeah, and it is but yeah, definitely a leap, but you weren't able to pick up a weekend work welding or something just to supplement. Yeah, no, no, I didn't Well there's those side jobs yeah. Yeah yeah, fixing exhaust and snowmobiles, snowmobiles.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've got a lot of those intercoolers.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's a lot of that always especially right before the winter or right after. Right after yeah, but there's so much titanium on snowmobiles now.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there is, yeah, like all the time now it's not as easy to fix.
Speaker 1:Yeah exactly, I don't have titanium rods kicking around.
Speaker 2:Yeah exactly, I'll just throw some 309 on it. No one will know. There we go.
Speaker 3:Shh don't tell anyone.
Speaker 1:So you know. Then you decide that you want to be a millwright. I don't know how it works here in New Brunswick, but in Saskatchewan and in a lot of different provinces they have incentives for getting a second red seal. So for me to get my steel fab red seal they actually knocked 1,000 hours off Now, so I only had to do three of the four blocks For you. Was there any incentives going from welder to millwright or did you have to do it right from start to finish, right from?
Speaker 2:start to finish.
Speaker 1:I asked about it, I was hoping there would be a few hours, because some of the things that are left, like comms, math, all that stuff, exactly, you had to do them all again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I did get to op out of the welding section of it, because you the welding section of it Cause you have a red seal?
Speaker 1:Yeah, but that's only like a two week part Right, right.
Speaker 2:But the the good thing about it is is I was like, well, can I spend some extra time machining? Like I had some home jobs and got got the school projects done and yeah, so it was good getting a little bit more experience in the machining side, which I really like too yeah, no, are you?
Speaker 1:is that? Is that going to be the third red seal?
Speaker 2:no, I think I should settle down now well, the third, talking about our third red seal. I'm in with the pipe fitters union there, so okay, so you're logging hours. You're logging hours now. So I'm back welding now, now that I have the, I'm done the millwright apprenticeship, so I'm back welding, just building some hours and I'd like to get the pipefitters ticket so you have a red seal in your mill right now too yeah, okay so with two I mean they the pipefitters does see, recognize your welding red seal, so that also kind of knocks some some off there, yeah.
Speaker 1:But uh, yeah, like I mean, why leave mill writing to go back to the UA Hall? Or are you also picking up mill write work within that scope?
Speaker 2:Yeah, kind of just plain and jumping back and forth, and it was from doing the program working for three or four years getting that. I was like, well, I should get back to welding so I don't lose it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was afraid I was going to get rusty. I don't lose it. Yeah, I was afraid I was gonna get rusty. Did you lose it?
Speaker 2:no, no, first couple joints went in there. I was like well, I think I still got it all right.
Speaker 1:Well, let's take a quick break for our advertisers here, because I want to get back and talk about this skills competition specifically, and you know how you see the changes between now and when you went through, because I I think it's quite different, right? So we'll be back right after these messages from our advertisers. I'm here with Calvin and don't go anywhere. Looking for top-quality welding machines and accessories, look no further than CannaWeld. Based in Vaughan, ontario, cannaweld designs, assembles and tests premium welding machines right here in Canada. Our products are CSA certified and Ontario made approved, reflecting our unwavering commitment to excellence. Count on us for superior service that's faster and more efficient than market competitors. Whether you're in aerospace, education or any other precision welding industry, cannaweld has the perfect welding solution for you. Visit CannaWeldcom today to discover why professionals rely on CannaWeld for their welding needs. Cannaweld where precision meets reliability in welding. Enjoy peace of mind with our four-year warranty on most machines. Conditions do apply.
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Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, how did you do as a millwright. Well, I mean, at this point you're aged out for worlds? Yes, so you're just competing for the fun of competing?
Speaker 2:Exactly, you're just competing for the fun of competing. Exactly, just to stress myself out, you just like to freak out, it's all good, I get it.
Speaker 1:So how did that go? Did you go in your first block right away and try, or did you wait?
Speaker 2:Well, unfortunately, the first block was when COVID hit around that area.
Speaker 1:So, competitions were a no-go yeah.
Speaker 2:And then the year after that we didn't have provincials.
Speaker 3:And so.
Speaker 2:I just got invited to go to nationals, so it was like a free trip to nationals, for sure. So I went not expecting anything and kind of last minute yeah. So that would have been 21. I went.
Speaker 1:Where was 21?
Speaker 2:That was in Vancouver.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, yeah, Okay, yeah, yeah. I think that's the first time I took you to skills was in Vancouver, wasn't it?
Speaker 2:no because, I was at that one. Yeah, that was fun. Yeah, it was. Yeah, yeah, and so, being I don't even think I had my second block at that point, I had to do a lot of homework, learning pneumatics and stuff that I had no clue about a lot of youtube and reading and, and I went there and, uh, to my surprise, I placed second really for nationals?
Speaker 1:yeah, so just natural ability.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, it's mechanical, yeah, most of it only goes one way. Yeah, except for pneumatics.
Speaker 3:Yes, they got arrows on them, yeah, yeah so then you get second.
Speaker 1:Did that again, fuel the fire? Yeah, I was like, wow, I got second.
Speaker 2:Like you didn't even really know, yeah, and I was like I still got two, three more blocks to do. So I was like, for sure, I can, you know, hopefully get the gold someday here. Yeah, so competed the next year. We actually had provincials and happy I won. I was like, oh, I have to at least win this, yeah yeah. And went to nationals again, placed second again and then my last year I actually put a lot of time in, built my own pneumatic board, you know, and got Pudge Lock's tube benders and practiced all my tube bending and put a lot of time in and I finally, finally won the gold last year.
Speaker 1:So you've competed eight, nine, no eight times one high school, two high school, one, two, three welding one, one, two, three mill rate.
Speaker 2:Yeah, three, six, seven, eight. It would have been a total of 11.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, that is commitment, man.
Speaker 2:Actually it would be 12, because the nationals. When I went to high school I didn't play, so I'm just counting medals here.
Speaker 3:Right, so actually 12. Yeah.
Speaker 2:If you compare provincial with nationals yeah, 12 times, 12 times.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So you are a veteran, I guess. So of the skills experience, yeah, right. So that leads to the question what are you doing here today? Well, this podcast yeah, and I want to check it out. Just the podcast, yeah, I want to check it out.
Speaker 2:I really wanted to come uh yesterday because I was actually helping, uh, post-secondary, yeah, there's there's a little bit more going on. I wanted to see the welding and the mill right, of course, and I knew a couple guys that were competing and they actually won did they?
Speaker 1:yeah, well, the winner, uh, yesterday was the winner from the year before, right?
Speaker 3:yes yeah oh, josh right yeah, yeah, it was good to meet him yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And then you're here. What do you see different in today's skills as opposed to when you went through it?
Speaker 2:The event's definitely bigger. It's nice seeing all these organizations come and the sponsors too, like it's really great. It's nice that it's come together and growing and, yeah, I hope it grows more.
Speaker 1:How do you know, courtney, in this whole process, is she the one that brought you in?
Speaker 2:She wouldn't let that have been. I think that was actually 2016 she started. Yeah, that's correct. And that would have been. Yeah, I finally won that gold.
Speaker 1:That was your gold year, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then I finally won that silver and everyone knows she's got a soft spot for welders. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, because her dad's a welder?
Speaker 1:Yeah, out for welders. Yeah, that's right, because their dad's a welder. Yeah, everyone knows the story. So you know when you're, when you're still communicating to people in the skills world, like you said, you still know some of the instructors, you know some of the competitors. How important is it for you to stay in this welding world, or like the skills world and staying connected in this community?
Speaker 2:yeah, I well. Well, actually now I'm on the board of directors for Skills New Brunswick.
Speaker 1:Oh are you Awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm the current vice president right now.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, I just feel like I owe something back, kind of thing. I want to help with it and let it grow and, you know, get people into it to draw some attention to it. And it's great seeing apprentices that I know come into it to draw some attention to it. And it's great seeing uh apprentices that I know come into it and get excited about it?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah. And what about the young ones like the high school students? You know how do you feel when you see them. You know, 16, 17 years old, you know, do you see yourself?
Speaker 2:in them. Yeah, I see the stress in their eyes that's what I said this morning.
Speaker 1:I walked in to talk to them, give them a pep talk, at eight in the morning and I was like I know you guys are nervous.
Speaker 1:I could see the legs like shaking under the table and they're all trying to play cool right, like when you're 16. You're trying to be cool right. But I can see the fear and I said don't worry, number one, you did the right thing. Being here, period, like that's you're. That's already half the battle. You're here two, just go out there and have fun, because it's not about winning yet this is an experience You're learning and trust me, if you guys do well, you'll get hungry, like exactly to your point and the other thing I said to them is I also introduced yesterday the post-secondaries and they were just as nervous.
Speaker 2:So don't worry about it. Oh, it doesn't get easier. I can tell you that. No, it doesn't get easier. You're nervous all the time. From my last competition I was still nervous. Oh, for sure, for sure, oh God, yeah.
Speaker 1:It's too bad, you never got to go to Worlds.
Speaker 2:I know Would you have loved to have seen that stage. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Shanghai, china, oh nice, I would love to oh man, I would come back 10 pounds heavier A hundred percent.
Speaker 2:You got to try all the food, all the food, yeah, and all the beers. The.
Speaker 3:Chinese beers are amazing yeah.
Speaker 1:So, in terms of your connection to skills, you know you're still. You said you're on the board of directors. What about the mentorship part? You know for yourself, over these 12 competitions, you must have had a number of mentors, right? Yeah?
Speaker 2:Yeah, a lot of instructors and talked to some who competed before just to see like, hey, what should I practice? And yeah, it definitely helps the mentorship part of it.
Speaker 1:And with the millwright side was it kind of the same, like both trades kind of run differently. Right, yeah, the millwrights don't have associations, they don't have like these kind of supports. Was it just as easy to find mentorship within them?
Speaker 2:Not as much, it was just my instructor.
Speaker 3:He was great.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he had someone who won bronze at uh at a nationals once before and he was really invested into the gold yes, you know he wanted that banner on his wall.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's right, you got enough banners to wallpaper a house though, yeah. So now, now, what's in the future for you? You know, uh, you got lots, and you know I. I went to russia with a welding competitor, adam sebastian. Um, his career's taken off. You know, uh, ben from alberta, who won last year from red deer, his career's already taken off. So you, I see the success that skill creates with with the, the people that compete. You know how's your career. You know post skills and is it taken off? Are you happy with it and where's your future?
Speaker 2:yeah, I'm really happy with it. Um, yeah, I plan on, you know, jump back forward doing some welding mill, right, like I want to keep up on both them. Yeah, um, yeah, I don't. And, of course, get my pipe fitters ticket, hopefully soon. Yeah, so there's that, and then from there it's just whatever. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:It seems like you're setting yourself up to start a business.
Speaker 2:It kind of does sound like it. Yeah, Like it doesn't seem like you have not thought about this before.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure Like I wasn't born yesterday and I see some moves happening here, but it and I see some moves happening here, but it's like I want to bounce back and forth between welding miller. Well, the only way to really do that is to have a shop. Yeah, and would you stay here in new brunswick? Is this, is this home? Have you had any thoughts about traveling or checking out other places? I mean, you're at an age when that's I did it lots, that's kind of my own. You know you're what. Late 20s. Now are you early 30s, 30 now? Yeah, so I mean that's I did it lots. That's kind of my own, you know you're what late 20s now?
Speaker 2:Are you early 30s, 30 now?
Speaker 1:yeah, so I mean that's kind of prime for travel, because it's like when you're starting to hit your I guess your stride for getting paid really well right, because when you first start you're only in the you know 30s, but then you get, you can start getting into that $40 range. Yeah, exactly 30s, but then you get, you can start getting into that 40 dollar range. Yeah, exactly, I can start doing more stuff right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:No, I definitely thought of that. Love to I've still never been out west and love to check out ontario.
Speaker 3:They got a bunch of you know nuclear plants out there, you know everything out there and of course newfoundland.
Speaker 2:Newfoundland is beautiful too. I've never been to newfoundland, me neither we were just talking about.
Speaker 1:It's one of the provinces I haven't been to and it seems silly that I haven't.
Speaker 3:Yeah, everyone tells me it's amazing.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Right here. Well, you've been to Vancouver for the young. What did?
Speaker 2:you say National Youth Forum. Right, the National Youth Forum yeah, but you didn't have.
Speaker 1:I mean, you were young, you didn't have much to do there. Yeah, different, yeah, true. Yeah, love to see the fishing out there. Oh it is, it's amazing ling cod. It's a type of cod that you can fish out there. It's amazing to eat it is so delicious and you can catch it just off a boat but they're still they're a good 20 25 pound fish, different from the little bass I catch here.
Speaker 1:Bass are delicious, though, yeah yes so with your career, you know, you got welding, you got mill right. You're working with the pipefitters hall now. 213 here, 213. 213, yeah, and that's there's tons of work. Yeah, right, they've been telling me about the amount of work that's out here. It sounds like you got work for the rest of your life without making much of a move.
Speaker 2:It really sounds it, yeah, between the pipefitters hall and the millwright hall like there's projects for a while now. I'd imagine the upgrader keeps the millwrights busy and the part mill probably keeps them busy, yeah. Probably keeps all you guys busy. Yeah, it does. Yeah, lots of work. What's the outlook?
Speaker 1:look for. You know New Brunswick from your point of view being dual ticketed. You know so there's lots of work from your point of view being dual ticketed, you know so there's lots of work. If someone's listening to the podcast and they have a red seal in Millwright or industrial mechanics or welding, you know, is it worthwhile for them to come check it out here. Try out the East Coast life.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think so. Yeah, If people, yeah, absolutely. I mean there's tons of work, the Westside Mill there, like the expansion, they're putting a lot of money into it and I always hear these rumors going around.
Speaker 1:So it sounds like there's going to be more and like, I mean, nuclear power is going to start ramping up, exactly Right, and there's just always maintenance At the end of the day maintenance never stops.
Speaker 2:That's the thing. Things don't last forever. So there's work there. Not in these type of industries either. They're hard on equipment, just resuming their hard-on equipment, yeah exactly, yeah, non-stop fixing.
Speaker 1:What about involvement with skills as a mentor? Have you ever thought about that, about actually taking a young pup under your wing?
Speaker 2:yep, yep for sure. Um, right now, riley, he, he won the industrial mechanic. So I just gave him my pneumatic board there, maybe a month ago, and I'm like, if you if you win provincials I'll. I'll hope you get some somewhere's with the nationals good, so now it's game on. Yeah, I'm hoping with my uh experience and what I know I can uh get him up there oh yeah it sounds like you're the right man for the job.
Speaker 1:I hope so. What about for, like, an ntc or actual, like uh, official position within skills, you know? Have you ever thought about something like that? Because I know that those are roles that are sometimes really hard to fill.
Speaker 2:Yeah, true, yeah, I've thought of that. For sure. It would be neat just knowing you're going to nationals every year. Yeah, without the stress, it's fun to go to nationals every year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Well, I mean, it's a different kind of stress.
Speaker 2:Different. Yes, it's not you, it's them. But it's still kind of you. Yeah, it's all on you kind of you gotta prep it well.
Speaker 1:They look to you when something's not right, yeah, and you gotta have an answer, yeah you can't just be like I don't know, whatever.
Speaker 3:Yeah, figure it out. Good luck, get a bigger hammer.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, exactly well, this has been awesome, man, I really appreciate you taking the time to to sit down with me. Things are winding up here. In about an hour not even 45 minutes we're going to be at the closing ceremonies and finding out who the winners of the secondary competitions were. It's going to be super fun. But congratulations on all your accolades and thanks for being on the show. Yeah, thanks, thanks for having me Awesome and for all the people that have been checking this out.
Speaker 1:This was the last one of this series and make sure you go back and listen to all of them. You will learn lots about New Brunswick and the Maritimes and all the wonderful industry that's out here, the schools, the education systems and, of course, skills Canada and I am so pumped to work towards Skills Nationals in Regina. You'll be out there at the end of May. We'll be out there at the end of May. That's my backyard and we're going to have the best time and really really do it up. So catch up on all podcasts, make sure you send in some comments, share them, download them and send us in some feedback. We'll catch you at the next episode. We hope you enjoy the show.
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