Journeymen, apprentices compete to become 'Best Electrician in North America'

Qualifier matches are being held all over Canada to find the Best Electrician in North America.

The annual Ideal National Championshipcompetition in Florida this November boasts it's "where electricians become legends" and comes with a $75,000 purse.

"You're basically treated like a professional athlete down there," said Matt Melanson, who competed in the team event in 2018. "[It's a] huge venue, you're coming out, they've got the smoke going and you're introduced.

"There's an audience, cameras in your face it was all livestreamed on Facebook so my family was watching. It's almost like you're an Olympic athlete," he said.

To qualify for the big event, professionals and apprentices compete in a timed trial; they hook up a light switch to a battery, through an electrical boxusinga terminal strip.

These timed trials are held in locations all over Canada in the months of August and September. Melanson and his colleagues from Elko Electric traveled from London, Ont. to Kitchener for the opportunity to compete.

"You know what? It's pretty cool to have a competition for electricians. Not a lot of other trades have this set up for us,"Jeremie Denis said.

"And if I get to go to Florida? Even better."