The Burnaby school district’s computer networking technician program at Burnaby South produced its first gold medal at the 22nd annual Skills Canada National Competition this month.
Grade 12 student Calvin Leung earned top spot on the podium for IT network systems administration at the Olympic-style skills competition, which wrapped up in Moncton, N.B. Wednesday.
In just his first year of competition, Leung captured a spot at the national contest by winning gold at the provincial competition in Abbotsford in April.
“At first, I was a bit nervous,” he said of the national competition, “but after that it was very exciting.”
The biggest challenge, he said, was the troubleshooting segment.
“They gave you a broken machine, and you had to solve it,” he said. “Some of those parts, I wasn’t sure if I could get it right.”
But he did get it right – much to the delight of his Burnaby South tech ed teacher Eddie Wong.
“It is very rewarding and just encouraging,” Wong said of Leung’s gold medal performance. “Calvin is a very knowledgeable student and he has a passion for IT, and his gold medal victory is really an affirmation that he is going to be successful in the IT field.”
Leung, a student at Burnaby North, attends Wong’s computer networking technician program on alternate days.
Launched in 2009, the district program, which accepts 17 to 20 students each year, offers advanced placement credits at BCIT and the University of the Fraser Valley.
“It is a fairly special program,” Wong said – but bronze and silver at the provincial level was the best any student had done at the skills competitions until this week.
Wong credits Leung’s success to passion and solid training.
“I think he has a personal interest in computers and technology,” Wong said, “and he spends time at home as a hobby configuring and studying computers, that, coupled with the fact that we teach the program here.”
Leung, who plans to attend BCIT next year, said he has liked playing on computers since he was a kid and now tends to be the person friends and family come to with their computer problems.
Lucky for them, that’s part of what Leung likes about working with the machines.
“I like the aspect of helping people out with issues that they might have,” he said.
