Who BILDs it Best to challenge skills at Home and Garden

By Ry Clarke - for the Lethbridge Herald on March 29, 2022.

Southern Alberta’s Home & Garden Show will feature the inaugural BILD Lethbridge’s “Who BILDs it Best” live action building competition throughout the exhibition, March 30 – April 2.
BILD Lethbridge and CAREERS have put together a building competition showcasing the skills of both students and pros in residential construction. Competitors will be in two categories, High School and Pros, doing daily projects competing for prizes and the title of BILDer Grand Champion ’22. Competition material has been supplied by local companies such as Cedar Ridge Homes and Logic Lumber.
Bridget Mearns, executive officer of BILD Lethbridge, says this is a brand-new competition that raises awareness in a growing industry.
“We wanted an opportunity to do something fun at the Home & Garden Show and showcase our skills but also provide something for the audience to see and learn.”
CAREERS is a not-for-profit working to help place youth into successful career paths for the future, partnering with BILD to offer kids a chance to test their skills and learn from industry experts while exploring options in the trade industry. Competitions for youth will start at 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, having an hour to design and build a daily project.
“The kits are provided from Skills Canada, and they’re designed to offer them different types of skills. It’s pre-fabbed material, that’s pre-cut wood, and the holes are pre-drilled. It really is setting [them] up for success. They also will be judged on decorative skills, so there will be stencils and paints available. It’s not just building but also what can they turn it into. And it really is theirs to create.”
Mearns says the teams of two won’t know until the competition what they are making and have to utilize time management as they design and build.
Saroeun Keuth-Ray, CAREERS Regional Manager for Southern Alberta, says the community has been receptive to the competition and is glad to open more doorways to underrepresented groups like young woman and Indigenous communities. The youth competition will host 16 student-competitors, with 10 female competitors, who will work to build either a birdhouse, bat house, or squirrel picnic table, with a daily winner. Keuth-Ray says the students will be judged on the finished product, time management, teamwork, and creativity.
“Right now, we’re gearing up for our summer internships. So we want [students] to show their skills, prove to these employers who are going to be at the Home & Garden Show that you’re worthy of getting hired this summer and helping them out, especially in those skilled trades which are big in demand.”
In the Pros category teams will consist of professionals working in residential construction along with Lethbridge College students training in the industry. Competitions will happen daily at 3:30 p.m. with the winners advancing to the final on Saturday at 2 p.m., where the winner will be crowned the BILDer Grand Champion.
Mearns says the final will be very exciting for spectators to watch with plenty of enjoyment, “The final on Saturday, these are heavyweights in our industry, so it’ll be fun to see. They have a lot of pride on the line […] there’s a lot of pride and excitement around us in our industry.”
Who BILDs it Best will showcase the work professionals do in the community of Lethbridge while also introducing youth to an industry they can continue to excel at or even find new interest.
Mearns says this is the first of its kind for BILD Lethbridge with the possibility of evolving into more for the community and trade industry.
“I see this growing into something really great. Maybe even more kids from schools, maybe even more college students that are in trades. I would love to see this continue to grow.”
The Home & Garden show runs March 30 – April 2 from 10 – 5 p.m. at Exhibition Park.