Students showcase their skills at annual trades challenge

Article content

Grey-Bruce high school students went head-to-head at the annual Regional Technological Skills Challenge March 1.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Students showcase their skills at annual trades challenge Back to video

Eight schools from both public and separate school boards sent students to compete and the top finishers advanced to higher stages of the provincial competition.

They competed at Georgian College, Sydenham Campus and OSDSS in Owen Sound in carpentry, culinary, electrical installations, hairstyling and welding. Local tradespeople helped with judging the event, which was sponsored by the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program.

Some students had to win at their own schools to advance to the regionals. The top three culinary and welding students will compete in qualifying competitions in Barrie on April 13. The first place finishers in the other categories will go directly to the 2024 Skills Ontario competition May 6, 7 and 8 in Toronto.

Owen Ferguson, a construction teacher at OSDSS, said in an interview that the competition is a talent showcase.

The school system is trying to expose more students to job possibilities in the trades and starting next year, all students will have to take a technology course to graduate, he said.

“Gone are the days of where we used to have an electrical installation class and a plumbing class and a woodworking. All that stuff falls underneath construction,” he said. “We have transportation and that covers autobody and small engines and truck and coach and automotive service.”

It helps expose students to a range of skilled trades, which share a lot of the same concepts and so are transferable between trades, Ferguson said.

Designated schools offer specialist high-skills majors which allow students to specialize and develop skills and certifications required to get jobs in the trades. There are co-ops and in-school opportunities to learn, he said.

A news release about the event included the top three students from each challenge at Regional Skills 2024:

Culinary

1. Padraig Barry Murphy – Saugeen District Senior School
2. C.J. Antoine – John Diefenbaker Senior School
3. Azel Garside – Saugeen District Senior School

Welding

1. Clayton Wood – John Diefenbaker Senior School
2. Parker Elphick – Sacred Heart High School
3. Greg Stroeder – Owen Sound District Secondary School

Hairstyling

1. Riley Hayball – Owen Sound District Secondary School
2. Austin Ceaser – Owen Sound District Secondary School
3. Gloria Libicz – Owen Sound District Secondary School

Electrical Installations

1. Nathan Romphf – Sacred Heart High School
2. Dakota MacInnis – Saugeen District Senior School
3. Michael Liscio – Owen Sound District Secondary School

Carpentry – Team of Two

1. Jake Matcheski and Hayden Wardell – Owen Sound District Secondary School
2. Landon Fry and Alex Tersteege – John Diefenbaker Senior School
3. Tim Ireland and Cohen Wettlaufer – Sacred Heart High School