Alex Edwards - 21

Biography

Computers have always been a passion of mine, and cloud computing is a small, but broad subsection of the technology industry. I’d like to pursue a career in cloud computing, possibly pivoting to cloud security. I was offered the opportunity to compete in IT Systems and Networking when I was a first-year student in college, and since then I’ve done many Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador provincial competitions. This was a fun challenge to put my education to use in a competitive setting.

I didn’t expect to be competing at WorldSkills Lyon 2024 as I didn’t want to get my hopes up but since I am now, it’s amazing. I feel like my education and training have been justified. My biggest challenge there will be learning new concepts within cloud computing that I struggled with at the Skills Canada National Competition. I’ve learned so much and have so much more to learn.

The best advice I’ve ever received is to take your time and keep a level head during the competition. It’s easy to be overwhelmed, so taking a step back and reviewing what I’ve done during the competition, as well as ensuring that I’ve done stuff properly, will really help at the WorldSkills Competition.

Interesting fact
I’m competing for my cat Sophii, and I also have a twin brother, Liam!

Skills for Success
Problem solving has been an important skill in my training. To quickly understand a problem and find a solution is extremely important.