USA VS Canada Training, And A 3 Time Gold Medalist, For Refrigeration ??? - Episode-525 Video

Skills Canada Gold, Rack Life in Newfoundland, and the Great Apprenticeship Debate

Advanced Refrigeration Podcast In this episode of the Advanced Refrigeration Podcast, hosts Brett Wetzel and Kevin Compass welcome Devon Owens from Newfoundland, a three-time Skills Canada gold medalist, to talk shop and trade some laughs. Devon breaks down Skills Canada—provincials, nationals, and worlds—plus the intense 15-hour two-day refrigeration build he finished as the only competitor, featuring a two-evaporator, two-temperature system with EPRs, solenoids, transducers, a superheat controller, and an EEV. The conversation shifts to how Canadian apprenticeship schooling differs from U.S. union training, including unpaid full-time pre-employment, block exams, pay-scale progression, and a challenging 125-question journeyman exam that spans everything from CO2 and ammonia to natural gas. They also touch on rack work, CO2 sites in Newfoundland, 600V power, and why water leaks can ruin your day.