When he was a little boy, Bloyce Walfield really wanted a four wheeler. But it wasn’t in the cards, so he and a buddy made their own go-karts.
Walfield’s early days of go-kart design - along with learning to weld equipment on a dairy farm - eventually led to a successful career and love of a skilled trade that he uses for both work and hobbies.
“If we wanted something, we made it,” Walfield, now 19, explained. “It just came naturally to me.”
Now, Walfield works as a fabricator and welder at Kensington Metal Products. He’s a registered apprentice working toward his red seal in welding.
He is also a four-time provincial Skills competitor, three-time National Skills competitor and, most recently, was a bronze medalist in welding at the 2016 National Skills Competition. Skills competitions measure accuracy in work during a set time limit. One of the assignments Wakefield tackled was to make a two-foot, stainless steel anchor in jig time.
October 31 through November 5 is PEI Skilled Trades and Technology Week and Atlantic Canada Career Week. The goal of these week-long events is to promote and raise awareness about the many career opportunities in PEI, including those in skilled trades and technology.
During National Skilled Trades and Technology Week, organizations such as Skills Canada PEI, Holland College and Career Development Services use hands-on events to promote careers to youth, parents and the public.
Walfield is a great ambassador for Skills Canada because he's so happy with his choice of career. He urges young Islanders to think creatively about their futures and try new things.
“It’s something different every day,” he said. “I like making things. I couldn’t sit behind a desk. I have to be moving all the time. I just found something I like. I am OK with waking up in the morning and going to work. That’s a good thing.”