IDEAL Canada Wraps up Eighth Season of Battle of the Schools

This year, IDEAL Canada is celebrating 60 years of manufacturing in Canada. In the spirit of celebration, the company has given apprentices across the country another chance to show off their talents and celebrate their skills as burgeoning electricians with the Battle of the Schools.

IDEAL awarded over $25,000 in cash in prizes to apprentices and Canadian trade schools, in their continued support of the electrical industry’s next generation. In addition to the Battle of the Schools, held under the theme of “Wiring Better Futures”, IDEAL is also a big supporter of the Tools in the Trades Bootcamp, which offers young people an avenue into the trades by providing training, tools, and networking opportunities.

2023 marked the eighth season of its “highly charged” Battle of the Schools competition open to all electrical apprentices. The event took place this year between March 20th and October 27th, with over 50 events held at Canadian trade schools, IBEW and EJTC Training Centres. The competition centres around a wiring board that apprentices must complete successfully with the fastest time.

Over 600 student apprentices competed in the challenge this year, resulting in six regional winners including a National IBEW Champion and a National Trade School Champion.

Nathan Chapman from Medicine Hat College (AB)
IDEAL Canada Wraps up Eighth Season of Battle of the Schools
Nathan Chapman, Medicine Hat College (BC)

Daniel Ford of EJTC IBEW 213 (BC) took home the National IBEW title and Nathan Chapman from Medicine Hat College (AB) took home the Trade School title.

They were each awarded $2,000 in scholarships and a custom IDEAL Muskoka chair. Each of the regional winners were awarded $1,000 in scholarships and a custom IDEAL Muskoka chair. On top of that, the schools of the respective winners each received over $2,500 worth of IDEAL tools and supplies.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Daniel FordElectrical Joint Training Committee, IBEW 213BC
Nathan ChapmanMedicine Hat CollegeAB
Derek LamyAssiniboine Community CollegeMB/SK
Biagio IannantuonoIBEW 804 BreslauON
Lorenzo LosciutoAvironQC
Arezki TakherbouchtCCNB DieppeAtlantic

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • The Role of Offshore Sourcing: An Editorial Perspective for Manufacturers, Distributors, Agents, Contractors, and Industry Stakeholders

    The Role of Offshore Sourcing: An Editorial Perspective for Manufacturers, Distributors, Agents, Contractors, and Industry Stakeholders

    The real divide is not domestic versus offshore. It is between committed, accountable partners and transactional, price‑only players. The CSA mark sits inside that story as one important signal but it is only a subset of what the market should be looking at. Read More…

  • Alberta OHS Code Review

    Alberta OHS Code Review

    June 15, 2026 Albertans are invited to provide feedback for Alberta’s ongoing review of Alberta’s OHS Code. Complete the surveys by July 8. Albertans are invited to participate in our ongoing review of the Occupational Health and Safety Code (OHS Code). This is an opportunity to improve health and safety outcomes for workers and streamline Read More…

  • Case Study: Using Photometric Layouts for Precision Lighting 

    Case Study: Using Photometric Layouts for Precision Lighting 

    Choosing the right fixture for a site can dramatically impact brightness, coverage, and energy efficiency. This case study highlights a retrofit project where CSC LED helped a customer optimize pump station lighting with photometric layouts. Read More…

  • EV Charger Install Tips for Businesses in BC

    EV Charger Install Tips for Businesses in BC

    June 15, 2026 By Ryan Torres, Business Development – Mac’s II Agencies The Ultimate Guide to Installing EV Charging Stations for Your BC Business With electric vehicle (EV) adoption accelerating across British Columbia, forward-thinking businesses are turning to EV charging stations as a way to attract new customers, future-proof their properties, and unlock valuable rebates. But with evolving Read More…


Changing Scene

  • ECAO Recognition of Safety Achievement Award Recipients

    ECAO Recognition of Safety Achievement Award Recipients

    June 15, 2026 ECAO is proud to recognize the recipients of their Recognition of Safety Achievement Award. This award honours member companies that demonstrate exceptional commitment to workplace safety through outstanding safety performance and a strong culture of prevention. The Recognition of Safety Achievement Award celebrates organizations that maintain injury and illness statistics below the Read More…

  • ECS Announces the Promotion of Jeff Bartlette to Branch Manager, Winnipeg

    ECS Announces the Promotion of Jeff Bartlette to Branch Manager, Winnipeg

    June 15, 2026 ECS is pleased to announce the promotion of Jeff Bartlette to Branch Manager, Winnipeg. Jeff joined ECS with a mandate to establish the company’s presence in Manitoba. Having successfully balanced both sales and leadership responsibilities, he will now focus fully on developing his team, strengthening branch capabilities, and positioning Winnipeg for continued Read More…

  • PCL Construction Invests in Canadian Skilled Trades Education and Awareness

    PCL Construction Invests in Canadian Skilled Trades Education and Awareness

    June 15, 2026  PCL Construction has joined That Could Be Me as Lead Sponsor, helping support a new initiative aimed at strengthening awareness of careers in the Canadian Skilled Trades and addressing the country’s ongoing labour shortage. The partnership brings together PCL Construction and Stature Films to create a documentary-style educational video series aiming to inspire more Read More…

  • Siemens Canada Unveils Expansion and Modernization of Drummondville Manufacturing Facility

    Siemens Canada Unveils Expansion and Modernization of Drummondville Manufacturing Facility

    June 15, 2026 Siemens Canada welcomed customers, partners and government officials to celebrate the completion of a year-long expansion project at its Drummondville manufacturing facility. The project is a major milestone in the company’s ongoing investment in advanced, sustainable, and digitally enabled manufacturing in Québec and across Canada. The expansion includes the opening of a Read More…