
Adrian Presot started working with wood in his garage during the COVID-19 pandemic when he was stuck at home.
He had no plans or aspirations to find a career in the field – it was just something he enjoyed doing that helped fill the time.
Fast-forward to today and Presot, who graduated from Humber Polytechnic’s Industrial Woodworking Technician program, is employed as a Cabinetmaker Apprentice with the House of Commons Canada in Ottawa.
What started as an interest in woodworking turned into Presot taking a night course at Humber before making the decision to enrol full-time.
During COVID, Presot discovered a love for woodworking. He enjoys working with his hands to bring to life a vision he had for a piece of furniture or a project.
“To be able to build something and having the skill to execute to turn it into a functional piece of furniture is quite an experience,” said Presot. “It’s a fun process that I get into and I find it really enjoyable.”
He was working part-time for Humber as a technician assisting with the Industrial Woodworking Technician program when he learned about the job posting. He’s been in Ottawa since mid-October and is enjoying his new career.
“It was great being on the other side of the bench and helping the students out,” said Presot about working as a technician at his alma mater. “Humber has a great community of people who really want to learn.”
Presot has been refamiliarizing himself with all the equipment used for his new career including the CNC machine and laser engravers. Mostly he’s been repairing furniture – from desks to tables and everything in between – and had an opportunity to spend a few days learning in the upholstery shop.
While he’s relatively new to woodworking, Presot has displayed a natural aptitude for it. He won gold at Skills Ontario in Cabinetmaking last year before going on to place fourth at the Skills Canada competition. He also finished first in the Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada’s Ontario Chapter’s 2023 Apprenticeship Contest.
Presot said his time spent with Skills has been extremely beneficial for him as he says it improved his abilities while also being a credential he can add to his resume to help him stand out for his peers.
“I learned so much and the whole experience being around other young people who are passionate about what they do makes the skilled trades that much more fun. I’ve made some good friends through the competitions and it ignited a passion for woodworking,” said Presot.
Find out more by visiting the Industrial Woodworking Technician webpage.