Success Story: Ty Edwards
Success Story: Ty Edwards
Ty Edwards, a Red Seal Heavy Duty Equipment Technician, kickstarted his trades career in high school. Growing up on a farm, he always had a passion for working with his hands and found joy in fixing machines that serve critical roles in our economy and communities.
Walking into the service area of Inland Kenworth is an exciting experience. There are impressive machines and vehicles parked around the shop and yard, and it’s fascinating to see them outside their natural operating environment. Heavy duty mechanics like Ty Edwards thrive in this setting, relishing the opportunity to work on these oversized mechanical machines that serve vital roles in construction, forestry, mining and other related industries.
Growing up on a farm, he was surrounded by equipment and enjoyed fixing things and solving problems. With some encouragement from his teachers to consider a trades pathway, Ty found his passion for repairing and servicing heavy duty equipment.
He participated in a Youth Train in Trades program, allowing him to start his technical training at North Island College (NIC) in Heavy Duty Equipment Technician during his last year of high school. These programs enable students like Ty to kickstart their trades career early.
“I always wanted to work with my hands. I wasn't sure if it was mechanical, but I definitely wanted to do a physical job and work outdoors...” Ty noted that having his own share of troublesome vehicles also reinforced his interest and value of pursuing a mechanics related trade, “I needed to learn how to fix them, and I learned that I really enjoyed it. I knew I wanted to pursue it as a career.”
The dynamic nature of his job — going into the shop and not knowing what kind of repair or service work he’ll have to diagnose and perform is also what keeps him motivated. He understands how important these machines are to people, businesses and communities. If a machine goes down, it impacts the budget, timeline and livelihood of projects. Ty finds great satisfaction in being able to bring these tools back to life. “Every day you come into work and do something different. That's pretty cool. Solving problems for people who need your help—I really like that. Working hard, feeling good at the end of the day, and helping somebody out —that's really important.”
He steadily progressed through his technical and work-based training, completing his Red Seal certification two years ago. SkilledTradesBC Apprenticeship Advisor Tawni Wilkins had the honour of presenting Ty with a Red Seal pin – a symbol of his incredible achievement. Ty has been working at Inland Kenworth for the past three years and continues to excel in his role.
For students considering their future options, he advises them to talk with their teachers and career guidance staff to understand what options are available to them, “Ask your teacher or people that can put you in the right direction. There's lots of jobs out there and there's lots of courses to help you get started in trades.”
With SkilledTradesBC Youth Trades Programs, you can get started in a trade while you’re still in high school. That means you could be working in your field, learning from experts and earning a paycheque — all before you graduate.