Abigail King

Biography  

I chose to work in the trades because I enjoy physical labour, and how every day is different. I chose autobody because I like cars and how creative you can be. My career goal is to open my own customs shop. 

My instructors told the class about the skills competition, and I was chosen to compete. The Skills Canada National Competition made a huge impact on how I see myself. Throughout the competition, I criticized my work and myself harshly when I shouldn’t have. I now know that what I’m doing is impressive and that I should never be so hard on myself. 

Interesting Fact  

Before going to school for autobody, I took a year of pre-health sciences because I wanted to be a paramedic. 

Skills for Success 

The skills that have been instrumental in training and during the competition are communication, problem-solving, and reading. Communication is crucial: I need to be able to talk to my instructor about the project, what steps I need to take to complete it, and how I can do better. I need to email other trainers who are willing to train me, and communicate with judges and volunteers at the competition. Problem-solving is important because I need to be able to fix mistakes I’ve made, and also fix damage to vehicles. Reading is key as I need to read the contest scope, follow written instructions, and read OEM procedures. I believe adaptability is the most important skill to improve because there will always be new inventions in the automotive industry.