Back to School with the Ideal National Championship: Qualifying Round Extended

August 29, 2018

Ideal has extended the 2018 National Championship qualifying round to October 19. The “Nationals” has been extremely popular across Canada, and with this extension Ideal will be better able to meet the demand to hold qualifying events, particularly from colleges and trade schools. (Shown in photo: students at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC step up to the challenge in the 2018 Ideal National Championship qualifying round.)

Described by many as “the most thrilling competition in the electrical industry,” the Nationals can also be a valuable teaching tool for aspiring electricians. Competitors complete a wiring challenge using Ideal tools while racing against the clock. Greg Otte, an instructor at The Centre for Skills Development and Training in Burlington, Ontario, notes that “as a learning tool I was able to relate the break-neck speed and the organization that was required to successfully get a decent time to a more normal ‘productive’ speed… implying that there is a happy medium.”

To date, Ideal has held an astounding 175 National Championship qualifying events across Canada — at schools, union halls, distributor branches, and directly with contactors. The events have been well received by professionals and students alike. “Our students still talk about how challenging and fun it was,” says Otte.

At the end of the qualifying round, Canada’s fastest competitors will be invited to The Championship Weekend in Orlando, including up to five electrical students/apprentices. There, they will put their skills to the test in four rounds of intense competition, vying for the top student prize of US$30,000. Ideal will also donate US$5,000 in IDEALcash to the winner’s trade school.

If you are an educator interested in scheduling a Nationals qualifying event at your school, contact Ideal’s Marketing Manager, Erin Hawley erin.hawley@idealindustries.com  

For more information on the IDEAL National Championship, visit www.idealnationals.com

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