WESTLOCK — “It was honestly one of the happiest moments I’ve ever felt. It was crazy."
That's how Paige Tymkow describes what she was feeling at the moment she was announced as the gold medallist in senior hairstyling at the provincial Skills Canada competition, which was hosted at the Edmonton Expo Centre on May 8 and 9.
This was the first time that Tymkow, a Grade 12 student at R.F. Staples School in Westlock, had been to the provincial Skills Canada competition. And she's not done yet either, as she will be heading out east later this month for the 2024 National Skills Canada competition on May 30-31 at ExpoCité in Quebec City.
“I’ve never been to Quebec, so I’m looking forward to it," she said.
Gold medallist
Unlike many of the students who went to the provincial Skills competition, Tymkow did not have to attend a regional qualifier but instead had to submit an application in the hopes of getting a spot.
Jenicka Langford, the senior cosmetology teacher at R.F. Staples, said this is because the provincial competition is a very intense two-day competition, so there wouldn't be time to do a qualifier.
It wasn't until about two weeks prior to the provincials that Tymkow actually learned she was going.
"Once we got our spot, we were like, ‘Oh my goodness, we have to start training,'" Tymkow said.
“I didn’t do as much as I would have hoped, so I was going in there ... hoping for a good experience, to learn a couple things, and just grateful that I got a spot.”
Langford said the entire Expo Centre was packed for the two days, with the competition spread over 42 trades. That meant hundreds of eyes were on the competitors, and people constantly walked around and stopped to look.
“You’re not in a tiny room by yourself, that’s for sure," Langford said.
The actual competition consisted of four "exams" completed using high-end mannequins. The first and third exams would run for about three hours, while the second and fourth exams would go for about an hour and a half.
Tymkow said they would be given a broad idea of what the exercises would consist of, but she wouldn't find out certain elements until the day of the competition.
“For my first test, they said I was going to be doing a perm, but they didn’t give my cut until I got there," she said.
For her second test, she was told she would be doing a bridal updo, but they actually used a "wheel of wishes" to determine an aspect of the hairstyle that she had to incorporate.
She also knew her colour exam would involve two harmonizing colours and a darker colour, but she did not know which one, and her final exam involved a men's cut that had to replicate a hairstyle from a picture.
For an added level of complication, Langford noted she couldn't use any clippers on the men's cut.
"It was purely just scissors work," she said.
Tymkow said the competition was "pretty high intensity," but she would look around at the other competitors and figure she looked like she was doing what she was supposed to be doing.
Eventually, the moment arrived when the results were being read out. Tymkow initially thought she had missed out on a medal when the bronze and silver winners were read out, but then the words "Richard F. Staples" were announced.
“Oh my goodness, our section just lost it. We were so excited," Tymkow said.
Grateful for the medal and the opportunity to move on, Tymkow is now training for the next couple of weeks for her entry into the nationals.
As for her post-graduation plans, Tymkow said she will attend the University of Lethbridge this fall and study for a double major in kinesiology and psychology, but may keep doing hairstyling part-time or on the side.
“Whether I do it as a job, or just as a hobby, I would like to keep cosmetology in my realm of interest, because it’s always something I’ve loved doing," she said.
