Iron Ridge Student Kole Duong Competing at Skills Canada Nationals
Iron Ridge Secondary Campus (IRSC) may be in its first year, but one student has already put the school on the national stage.
Grade 10 student Kole Duong earned gold in cabinet making at both the regional and provincial Skills Alberta competitions. Now, he’s set to represent Alberta at the Skills Canada National Competition, taking place May 29 and 30 in Regina, Saskatchewan.
“Skills started for me when my teacher, Mr. Mackey, selected me in the first couple of weeks of woodworking class,” Kole said. “After finishing all my course projects, I shifted my focus to preparing for competition.”
He went on to win gold at regionals in February at Red Deer Polytechnic, completing a six-hour timed build. At provincials in Edmonton, he faced a 12-hour challenge—constructing a mitre case with an X-shaped stand and hinged lid—where he again took the top spot.
“Everyone builds the same thing at provincials. It’s all about precision, tight joinery, accurate measurements, even sanding to a specific grit,” said Kole. “Everything has to match the plans perfectly.”
The win is even more impressive considering Kole was competing against students from Grades 10 through 12. “I think there were only one or two other Grade 10s there,” he added. “So it felt really good to come out on top.”
Kole balances training with responsibilities outside the classroom—he works in his family’s restaurant and plays lacrosse, which he says helps build the endurance needed for long competition days. Nationals are about 13 to 14 hours total when you include breaks.
The national cabinetmaking project plans have already been released, but with a twist: they're intentionally incomplete and subject to change, up to 30 percent, on competition day. “Some measurements are missing on purpose,” Kole said. “You have to calculate them, and then be ready for last-minute adjustments.”
Woodworking runs in the family for Kole, whose father and relatives work in home renovations. “I’ve always liked building things,” he said. “But cabinetmaking is more detailed, and I really enjoy that part of it.”
He’s proud to represent Iron Ridge Secondary Campus at a national level during the school’s inaugural year. “It’s important. I think it helps put the school on the map,” he said. “It would be amazing to bring home the first national banner.”
Iron Ridge Secondary Campus Principal Ed Coles says the entire school community is celebrating Kole’s success.
“This is a tremendous accomplishment, and we’re incredibly proud of Kole,” said Coles. “In our very first year, to have a student represent not only our school but the province on a national stage is a powerful statement about the talent and potential here at Iron Ridge. It speaks to our commitment to hands-on learning, excellence in trades, and giving students opportunities to shine.”