The 21st Annual Skills Manitoba Competition saw about 500 young students compete in hands-on contests.

On Thursday, students from across the province took part in over 40 Olympic-style secondary and post-secondary/apprentice level competitions.

The showcase of skills took place at Red River College in Winnipeg and included robotics and manufacturing, 3D character computer animation, construction trades, hairstyling, and many more.

Emily Isaac, a Job Skill Demo competitor from NPC with her assistant Courtney and NPC Aesthetics Instructor Brenda Richer.Skills Canada Manitoba hosts the event to create awareness of Canada's skilled workforce shortage.

Emily Isaac is a grade 10 student at Northlands Parkway Collegiate in Winkler. "I was really nervous but it was a good experience," said Isaac, who demonstrated Nail Technology in the Job Skill Demonstration category, earned herself a Bronze medal.

Isaac's teacher invited her to participate, and Isaac took advantage of this rare opportunity. She took the aesthetic program at her school last semester, and her favourite part of the course is doing semi-permanent manicures.

"I wanted to give it a try, try something new," she said. "This is something that I may want to use as a future job for when I go to college, or now when I'm in high school as a supporting job for me."

Richard Rempel, Carpentry Instructor at W.C. Miller Collegiate in Altona, nominated his student Dawson Giesbrecht to participate in the competition.

Carpentry Instructor at W.C. Miller, Rick Rempel

"They get a plan for a dog house and they get a certain amount of material and a limited amount of time to get the project done," Rempel explained.

For the carpentry competition students are marked on safety, proper procedure, precision, and accuracy. Rempel said they trained by looking at previous competitions and looking at last year's project online. Rempel said Giesbrecht was chosen to take part based on his daily performance at school.

"I think this is really a showcase of skills of what students at this level are capable of," Rempel noted. Winners of many of the competitions will advance to the Skills Canada National Competition in Edmonton, Alberta in June.

NPC's Miranda Klippenstein took home Gold in Aesthetics. Helen Wall earned Silver in Nail Technology. Dawson Giesbrecht of W.C Miller Collegiate earned Bronze in Carpentry.

NPC's Miranda Klippenstein took home Gold in Aesthetics

Dawson Giesbrecht of W.C Miller Collegiate earned Bronze in Carpentry.