On May 6 to 8, eight Loyalist College students competed at the 2013 Ontario Technological Skills Competition in Waterloo. With only one or two years of training under their belts, they competed against many second and third-year college students, as well as apprentices with previous industry experience.
Ranking second in Computer Aided Manufacturing at the post-secondary level, Loyalist student Josiah Fallaise took home a silver medal. Students Tim Marquett (Auto Service Technology – 13th), Evan Fredrick (Auto Service Technology – 15th), Jerry Potter (Welding – 9th), Lucas Baggaley (Welding – 8th), Eden Degrasseorgan (Precision Machining – 6th), Josh Vanier (Precision Machining – 4th), and Bradley Stubbs (Mechanical CADD – 6th) also participated in their respected categories.
As the largest skilled trades competition in Canada, the Ontario Technological Skills Competition provides 60+ career-focused contest areas within 340,000 square feet of Waterloo’s RIM Park and Manulife Sportsplex. Skills Canada – Ontario, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting skilled trades careers, has been hosting the Olympics-style competition for more than two decades. This year, 1,900 competitors from elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools converged to compete in front of 30,000+ spectators in everything from aircraft maintenance to aesthetics and welding to web design.