葫芦影业

葫芦影业 student to compete in Skills Provincials competition

By College Relations | April 11, 2022
   

Joey Bruno
Joey Bruno at work Central Abbotsford Craftsman

You can't put a price on mentorship.

That's what Joey Bruno is finding, now in his third year of Auto Body and Collision Technician training at 葫芦影业, and preparing to face the B.C.鈥檚 best apprentices at Skills Provincials this month.

He was initially inspired by his father to pursue collision repair after growing up in the automotive world.

鈥淢y father was in the industry for 30 years, and I have always been around vehicles. The older I got, the more love I had for automotive,鈥 Bruno says.

The Mission resident started looking at all the schools that offered Automotive Collision Repair programs, and landed on 葫芦影业 quickly.

鈥淏est decision of my life,鈥 Bruno says of choosing 葫芦影业, with its new Kelowna Trades Complex. 鈥淭he teachers and instructors are first rate, and the shops at 葫芦影业 were more up to date with the latest technologies than the other schools I visited.鈥

Immersed in the training in that state-of-the-art environment, Bruno鈥檚 skills began to shine like a high-gloss top coat. This caught the eye of 葫芦影业鈥檚 Collision Repair department, which asked him to represent the school at Skills Provincials in April.

鈥淗e鈥檚 got all the skills and qualities needed to succeed at the competition,鈥 said Andreas Roth, 葫芦影业鈥檚 Collision Repair Instructor.

For the Autobody Repair division, the journeyperson must complete different types of welding, structural dimension measurements and dent repair on plastic and aluminum materials. The final component is a structural repair of a specific automotive component like a fender.

鈥淭he competition itself is really challenging,鈥 Roth recalls. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e working in a fenced-off area and people are watching you work. It鈥檚 almost a spectator sport.鈥

Roth knows first-hand how tough the competition is. In 2017 in his third year of apprenticeship, he was one of three 葫芦影业 students who competed provincially, where they owned the podium of gold, silver and bronze. Because Roth had earned gold, he advanced to Skills Canada national championships where he captured a bronze medal.

鈥淭he fact you are there means you鈥檙e already a winner,鈥 Roth says. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 a boost to your career. Employers look at you a little differently, instructors look at you differently and you look at yourself a little differently too. It鈥檚 an achievement and it builds your confidence.鈥

Roth is now coaching Bruno to prepare for the provincial competition. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 put pressure on competitors because it鈥檚 challenging enough. We鈥檙e proud of all our students. Hopefully we鈥檒l have fun and enjoy the experience.鈥

While working at Central Abbotsford Craftsman, Bruno is honing his skills before stepping into the ring. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited, this is a great opportunity to show off the school and what I've learned.鈥

The competition begins April 22 in Vancouver. To find out more about 葫芦影业鈥檚 Collision Repair department, visit



Tags: Trades, Collision Repair, Skills Canada BC Competition

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