Christian Zacharias is no stranger to carpentry — he says he’s been swinging hammers since he was three years old. With a desire to pursue a practical career in carpentry, he went on a journey that led him to Apprenticeship Manitoba, and eventually to RRC Polytech.

“Growing up, I really enjoyed working with my hands, doing and helping with projects around the house and at my cabin,” Zacharias recalls. “I didn’t want to spend years at university to get a degree, it just wasn’t for me.”

Today, he’s working as a residential finish carpenter while he attends RRC Polytech where he hopes to earn his Red Seal Certification.

Zacharias’ skills as a carpenter have not gone unnoticed. He competed and won gold at the Skills Manitoba competition and represented Manitoba at the 2022 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) in Vancouver last year.

Initially unsure of what to expect at SCNC, he received extra training after work to go over skills and concepts he hadn’t previously learned or mastered. The additional support played a crucial role in his preparations. Even though he fell short of clinching a victory at the SCNC last year, he drew from this experience and won gold in Carpentry at this year’s Skills Manitoba competition.

“It was a great confidence booster that my skills as a carpenter are improving, and now there’s some proof of that,” Zacharias says. He is eagerly anticipating SCNC in Winnipeg this week, and is thrilled to showcase his abilities on home turf.

His word of advice to anyone competing at SCNC: Look at the bigger picture and visualize the end result before starting. Creating something isn’t just memorizing material, but understanding how everything works and connects together by looking at all the details.

Zacharias says his instructors at RRC Polytech have been an invaluable source of guidance and support. He credits them for their commitment to helping him succeed, and showing him opportunities he didn’t even know were available.

As he continues to grow and excel as a carpenter, Zacharias is forever grateful for the opportunities that have come his way and the people who have supported him along his path.

The Carpentry program at RRC Polytech is a five-month course offered at the Notre Dame Campus. Although it’s not an apprenticeship program, students can transfer their credit towards apprenticeship through Apprenticeship Manitoba.

Learn more about the Carpentry program by using RRC Polytech’s Program Explorer.