Yi (Angie) Zhang - 18

Biography   

I chose fashion technology as a career because my high school provided opportunities for learning this trade and I am passionate about fashion. I love making patterns to bring flat designs into 3D and I enjoy assembling a garment, and then cutting, sewing and ironing it. I want to work either in patternmaking or design at a fashion company, and eventually create my own brand. 

I got involved with skills competitions because it’s part of my program’s curriculum. The Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) was enjoyable for me because I achieved unprecedented focus, speed and precision. I didn’t expect to place first at SCNC and learning that I’ll be on WorldSkills Team Canada 2024 was surreal. My biggest challenge at WorldSkills Lyon 2024 might be nervousness due to the foreign location, and the scale of the competition. I’ll follow this advice from my mentor Mark Reid: “performance = potential – distractions”. 

Interesting fact 
My life revolves around fashion, but I also love art, movies and learning French. 

Skills for Success 
Problem solving has been the most instrumental skill for me. My teacher and I adapted designs and developed creative strategies to meet the standards of the competition, such as adding mandatory pockets on the inside of my jacket.