Full Name: Isabella Demers
Age/grade: 15, grade 9
Trade: Carpentry
Skills Yukon Affiliation: 2023 Territorial Skills Competition Competitor
School: F.H. Collins Secondary School
Can you tell us a bit about your experience with the trade, so far?
I’ve grown up around carpentry, with my dad, as we do projects around home and at work. This year was my first year taking a carpentry class in high school.
What motivates you to keep learning the trade?
I would say that my dad is my motivator.
Was there someone who got you excited about competing in the skills competition?
My woodwork teacher, Mr. Devigne, who has previously competed at the skills competition in carpentry, is who got me interested in the skills competition. He was also my mentor.
What was the most intimidating part about the competition?
The most intimidating part about the competition would be the pressure of feeling like I have to do everything really well to prove myself to be as good as the boys.
Do you plan to try out for the competition next year, as well?
I do plan on competing this coming year with the new skills I’ll develop over summer and into winter.
Did it still feel intimidating afterwards?
Now that I’ve done the competition and know what to expect, I know I won’t feel nearly as intimidated next year.
Is there anything you plan to do to prepare yourself for the territorial competition in 2024?
I plan on fully building the project, more than once, and doing more visualization to really make sure I know every step and what works best for me.
What advice would you give someone who is interested in carpentry but isn’t sure how to start learning?
I would suggest possibly finding a teacher or an experienced person in carpentry that you could help with projects and that you feel comfortable with and that will support you.
How much do you see yourself using carpentry throughout your life?
I see myself using carpentry a lot as it is a vital skill to have in life. Using my knowledge of carpentry, I can create plans and build any project (that’s not a house), instead of having to hire someone to do it.
What is the most interesting project you’ve worked on?
The most interesting project I’ve worked on would be when, as a class, we built a shed to sell—so that the money could be used to purchase more materials for the woodshop at F.H. Collins.
Do you have a least-favourite part of the trade?
My least-favourite part about carpentry would be cutting all of the wood.
What about your favourite part?
My favourite part of carpentry is the assembly of a project. It’s really satisfying to step back and think of how you turned some boards into a structure or into something that doesn’t even look anything like a board.
Is there anything that has surprised you that you’ve learned about carpentry?
Something that has surprised me with carpentry is how precise you may need to be while working on a project.
Do you have any plans to pursue this as a career when you’re done with secondary school?
I do not plan to pursue carpentry as a career. It is something I enjoy, though.
If you had to choose another trade to learn that you have never tried before, what would it be?
If I had to choose another trade to learn that I’ve never tried before, I would choose aesthetics. It seems really fun and I’ve always liked styling hair and painting nails.
