Winning the Gold with Her Outstanding Trade Skills

Viking’s own Grace Westenberger wins the gold

At Viking, we think it’s important to showcase our dedicated workforce. We are proud to be the employer of choice of the most qualified fire protection professionals, with the best trade skills, in the industry. Because we value our exceptional team, we are dedicating a special segment of our blog, the “Join the Fire Protection Best!” series, to highlight that the best specialists, recognized across Canada, work at Viking Fire Protection.

For this article, the first of many in our Fire Protection Best series, we are featuring the outstanding achievements of Grace Westenberger, an apprentice sprinkler fitter at our Viking Fire branch in Halifax. In 2023, Grace’s talent and hard work were recognized after she successfully competed in many competitions. She won gold medals at the Skills Canada competition, in Nova Scotia, and at the UA National Apprentice Competition, in Montreal.

Furthermore, Grace competed in the National competition, in Winnipeg, taking home the bronze medal. In regard to her participation at the National Competition, she declared in an interview: “I feel very lucky that I had the opportunity to compete, and it was great to see that I could put myself out there and be successful.”  Finally, her impressive talent led her to represent Canada in the UA Piping Trades International Competition, in Ann Arbour Michigan. Photo: Grace Westenberger

Thriving in an Unconventional Career Path and Pursuing Journeywoman Excellence

The tradeswoman’s inspiring journey as a sprinkler fitter in the fire protection industry began in 2019, following the completion of a pipe trades program. Now working as an apprentice, she is acquiring more skillfulness as she is being assigned to a variety of projects.

In an interview published in the 2nd edition of the CASA Outstanding Women of The Canadian Fire Sprinkler Industry, Grace said of her participation at the competitions: “I have accomplished a lot in my career that I am proud of; the experience, friendships and memories from these competitions will last a lifetime.” Grace continues to thrive in a career path that is not traditionally conventional, applying her new expertise and knowledge, and showcasing her ongoing professional growth. Her ambition is to become a journeyperson; her talent, hard work, and drive will unquestionably pay off. Photo: Grace Westenberger

“I have accomplished a lot in my career that I am proud of; the experience, friendships and memories from these competitions will last a lifetime.” – Grace Westenberger

This video, produced by UA Canada, features several Canadian tradeswomen, including Grace Westenberger.

Attracting the best trade skills talent in the industry

Viking Fire Protection prides itself on employing the most qualified team of fire protection professionals in the industry. We value and reward our exceptional tradespeople and therefore have an unprecedentedly high employee loyalty. When you choose a career at Viking, you get access to the vast expertise of our staff. We employ the best specialists, recognized across Canada, who share their skills in order to shape the next generation of experts.

Join the fire protection best!

For the last 90 years, Viking has strived to protect lives and property. Our company’s solid reputation is built on our commitment to provide top-of-the-line fire protection products and services that specifically meet our clients demands. Along with the global vision and spirit of innovation that we all share, we expect all of our employees to work as a team and build relationships based on trust and equity. Doing so allows us to provide quality customer service based on honesty, integrity, and transparency. Our team’s values reflect our management philosophy, and we count on each employee’s motivation and dedication to fulfill our mission.

Come learn and develop your job experience with the best in the fire protection industry. At Viking you will find a work environment that will support your professional growth, so that you can become the expert of tomorrow. Our staffing process, takes into account our company’s mission and strategic objectives, is free of discrimination, and promotes job equity. Viking Fire Protection is always on the lookout for the most qualified candidates whose trade skills and experience match our job posting requirements.

Apply today and join one of Canada’s most respected fire protection companies!

Source: CASA Notes, Outstanding Women of The Canadian Fire Sprinkler Industry, 2nd Edition, Skills Competence Canada Website

Photo credits: Grace Westenberger