Abbotsford, B.C. – Two horticulture students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) took home gold Wednesday at the Skills Canada British Columbia provincial competition.
Students Sarah Pucek and Richard Blackwell, both Langley residents, created a first-prize garden installation in six hours for an audience of over 8,000 high school students, industry representatives and public attendees at the Abbotsford TRADEX.
Silver medals were awarded to fourth-year KPU apprenticeship students Dillon Mennie and Mori Okada. The challenge tested the landscaping and installation skills of both teams, who had to build and lay out a garden, from the ground up.
“The Skills competition provides our landscape horticulture students with an opportunity to demonstrate skills and knowledge gained from the classroom and the worksite in a collegial competitive environment. A Skills competition podium finish is a culmination of hard work, collaboration, skill and determination. Congratulations on a job well done to Sarah, Richard, Dillon and Mori,” said PJ Burns, KPU landscape horticulture instructor.
Pucek and Blackwell will head to Saskatoon for the Skills Canada national competition May 27-30.
For more about SkillsBC, visit skillscanada.bc.ca.
More information about KPU’s horticulture programs is available at kpu.ca/science-hort.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been serving the Metro Vancouver region since 1981, and has opened doors to success for more than 250,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts, science, design, health, trades and technology, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 19,000 students annually have a choice from over 124 programs, including bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates citations and apprenticeships. Learn more at www.kpu.ca.
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Photo caption: The garden installation of KPU students Sarah Pucek and Richard Blackwell took home gold Wednesday at Skills Canada B.C.
Media contact:
Hayley Woodin
Media Specialist
t: 604.599.2883
c: 604.364.1288
hayley.woodin@kpu.ca
For more KPU news:
@KPUmedia
kpu.ca/newsroom
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