College Avenue Secondary School @ CMPX: From the classroom to the national stage

You could say Phil Gagnon and his students at College Avenue Secondary School are in an HVACR class of their own. This March, Gagnon entered ten of his high school protégés into the Canadian Mechanical Plumbing Exposition (CMPX)'s skills competition, representing the event's only secondary school team.
“It was awesome," one of the students tells HRAI. "We got to try out our new skills that we learned in class and were able to show them off to industry professionals."
“This is definitely something we will talk about during job interviews,” they add.
The Woodstock-based school is no stranger to CMPX. For years, Gagnon has included the event in his curriculum as an opportunity for students to practice in a fun and competitive environment.
"I include [CMPX] because it gives the students something to work and build towards," he says. "It's great for getting them to take a furnace apart, put it back together, and turn it on again to see if it works. But it's also a national trade show with people from all over the country. So, for them, it's 'the big show' that gets them excited and becomes a highlight of our course."
Putting in-class training to the test
Preparing for the CMPX is a tradition at College Avenue. Throughout their course, students receive a holistic mix of theoretical and practical HVACR education. They also have the opportunity to receive their Ozone Depletion Prevention (ODP) Certificate in Grade 11 and their Gas Technician 3 (G3) licence in Grade 12, the latter being an option currently exclusive to the school. Then, when the CMPX returns every second year, a number of top students are selected to represent their collective talents on a national stage.
“We always love a field trip--especially to Toronto," says one of this year's student competitors. "Getting a chance to try your skills in a competitive setting is always great. Knowing that we were going to be judged on our performance meant that our projects were that much more important since we would be representing our school."
Gagnon says competing in CMPX is not only an opportunity for those students to apply their training in a competitive environment but to begin forging pathways to careers and connect with experienced judges: "Sure, it can be stressful knowing someone is judging them, but on the other hand, it's a tradesperson who knows what they're doing and will make sure they don't get in over their head."
CMPX is one of several industry events incorporated into College Avenue's HVACR program. Throughout the year, students are involved in the Ontario Skills Competition in Refrigeration, Heating Systems Technician and Workplace Safety. The course is also tied into the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, during which students participate in a co-op placement and collect hours toward their apprenticeships.
"By doing that, we help [students] get their foot in the door so they can carry on their way right after high school," says Gagnon, explaining that these opportunities, CMPX included, are made possible by the support of Thames Valley District School Board and school administration.
All told, Gagnon is a big believer in connecting up-and-coming HVAC professionals to 'real-world' industry training initiatives. Speaking to educators who may be considering CMPX as one such opportunity, he adds, "I would absolutely recommend that secondary schools give it a go. HVAC is a growing industry, and events like this are a great opportunity for students to get a head start in an excellent career."
Learn more about CMPX at www.cmpxshow.com.
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