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�鶹ֱ�� students win four gold medals at Skills Ontario Competition

May 5, 2023

Six �鶹ֱ�� students recently won medals at the held May 1 to 3 in Toronto. The competition offers a unique opportunity for students to showcase their competencies in skilled trades and technologies against the best of the best in their fields.

Gold medals were awarded to Ben Bader for Additive Manufacturing, Allison Partello for Hairstyling, Ethan McCallum for Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining, and Xander Powell for Outdoor Power Equipment. Viraj Gaurang Shah also won silver for Web Design and Development, while Ryle Reynolds scored a bronze medal in CNC Machining.

Ethan, Allison and Xander will also be heading to the upcoming in Winnipeg, Manitoba from May 24 to 27.

The winners share their experiences

Ethan McCallum, a first-year Mechanical Technician – Precision Skills student, brought home a gold medal in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining. He says that his experience at the competition was incredible, especially since representing �鶹ֱ�� at this competition is an opportunity that not every student gets.

“The feeling of taking first place in this event is amazing. I’m grateful to have been able to perform so well alongside some of the top students in the province,” Ethan says. “I spent countless hours working in the shop and computer lab to prepare for the competition, and I made lots of mistakes throughout the training process. Ultimately, I learned from those mistakes, and I was able to continuously improve my skills with a lot of support from faculty.”

Ethan is preparing to represent Team Ontario at the National Competition in the coming weeks. He adds, “There’s still a lot to learn in a short period of time, but I’m really looking forward to this as a huge milestone in my career.”

In the hairstyling category, another first-year Hairstyling diploma student Allison Partello won gold. She’s been training to compete for the Skills Ontario competition since January, and although it was difficult at times, the experience was unforgettable.

“The competition was a rollercoaster of emotions for me,” Allison shares. “But in the end, it felt very rewarding to compete for �鶹ֱ��. It’s so surreal that I’m heading to Skills Canada. I’ll be selling my soul to the salon for the next two weeks to train and prepare!

“I’ll also be graduating in August which is both exciting and nerve-wracking. I’m hoping to stay in the Barrie area to start my career too.”

A first-year student in the Electromechanical Engineering Technology – Mechatronics program, Ben Bader, scored another gold medal for �鶹ֱ�� in Additive Manufacturing. Training for his category involved working with several types of technology from 3D printers to laser scanning metrology equipment.

“I had a fantastic time at the competition, and I would recommend it to anyone in the skilled trades,” Ben says. “With only one semester under my belt, I was surprised to find out that I had won, but I felt really proud of my work and knew that all the preparation I put into this was worth it.

“In the future, I’m hoping to land somewhere in the additive manufacturing/metrology field and blend my background with human kinetics to create personalized prosthetics. I’m really excited to continue learning and enhancing my skills, and this experience helped me become more confident in my abilities.”

In the Outdoor Power Equipment category, Mechanical Techniques – Marine Engine Mechanic student Xander Powell topped the podium, rounding out �鶹ֱ��’s gold medals for this year’s competition.

Wise words from instructor Brett Austin

Brett Austin, an instructor at �鶹ֱ��, mentored Ethan and Ryle and helped them prepare for the CNC machining competition. In last year’s competition, Brett also coached another student who won silver in the same category. For Brett, the best part is seeing students develop so quickly and watching their confidence grow.

He says, “Our role as faculty and advisors is to work with promising students and give them this incredible opportunity to broaden their industry knowledge and network with major employers who are hoping to hire a �鶹ֱ�� graduate.

“The dedication students need to give to this training is extensive,” Brett adds. “Many of our winners this year are only in their first year of college, and I’m so impressed with everyone’s level of commitment and willingness to take time out of their work and personal lives to improve their skills.

“Even without a podium finish, the opportunities students get from this experience are endless and extremely beneficial to any young person entering the skilled trades. They all have very promising futures ahead, and they have demonstrated that they truly are the best of the best.”