By Neil Corbett, Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows News
Almost 1,000 people attended as the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows School District hosted its annual Skilled Trades Showcase event on Thursday at Thomas Haney Secondary. There were 57 different industry groups represented – college programs, industry recruiters, and employers. Students from Vancouver Community College’s hairstyling program demonstrated their skills, and numerous kids tried driving heavy equipment in the BC Road Builders Roadshow, with digital simulations of various vehicles from snowplows to loaders. “The simulators are awesome – they add an element of realism,” said organizer Brad Dingler, the coordinator of district partnerships for SD42.