This last Friday was the Regional portion of Skills Canada Competition. Basically this is an annual competition for students of ALL trades. VIU is the host for our Regional competition at this level, which is intended for High School students who are registered in a Trade. The gold medal winner is then invited to Provincials (held in Abbotsford this year again, in early April)
So, on Friday we had four Nanaimo VIU students compete in a full day of hairdressing competition. Four students from the Powell River campus joined us as well.
Competition started at 8:30am sharp for a 4-hour segment on Women's Creative Cut and Colour where students had to cut, colour and style the hair for an edgy (not necessarily street-wear - actually....very much so fashion forward); 45 minutes for lunch and then to transform their day look to that of an elongated, elegant (again, not for the faint of heart though!) look with the use of extensions and ornamentation.
I had been working with the students a few hours a week since the New Year helping them to decide what they wanted to do and help guide them to make the most of their plans. HOURS of blow-drying and a few sleep-less nights later and they were on. They did amazing and I think it was as satisfying for them to see their ideas come to fruition as it was for me as I'd seen how hard they worked!
The Post Secondary students did a mock run of the competition and will go on to Provincials automatically. We're not sure until all registration is closed how many students we'll get in so by having them do a dry-run, they at least all had an opportunity to see their pieces come to life.
Here, I'd like to share some of the Art created that day. Like I said - SO PROUD!!!!
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These are a small sample of the work accomplished from the Post-Secondary students (the mock run) - AMAZING, right?! These are students who started the hairdressing program in......SEPTEMBER!! That's right! Not long at all and this is what they're creating!
The gold medal winner for the Regionals was from our school and here is her day look and night look (she's still in high school!!)
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I think it's safe to say the students are happy to have this tucked under their belts. Another trainer is coming in for the next few weeks to work on the Men's portion that will happen at Provincials and then - off to Abbotsford!!!