A student craftsman is set to show his work on a national level.
This comes after Rutland Secondary Grade 10 student Ryder Starling won gold at the Skills Canada BC Finals, beating out older students in the category.
At the provincial tournament, Starling was given six hours to build a side table to exact specifications.
"I have always been interested in building things. From LEGO to forts when I was younger, I just like to see a finished product," said Starling. "I think I won because I took the time to make sure my cuts were precise, and my drawer sat flush and slid nicely."
On top of the gold medal, the Grade 10 student won professional-grade power tools.
"It's truly exceptional for a Grade 10 student to outright win a provincial trades competition," said Scott Sieben, District Principal for Careers and Transitions. "Ryder is an outstanding example of the many talented students pursuing the skilled trades career opportunities we work to provide."
Sterling is now off to the nationals at the end of May where he'll be tasked to build a side table over two days, totalling 12 hours.
