Chris Kuntz and Jason Wagg, two outstanding welding students at the Guelph campus of Conestoga College, are the first-ever recipients of $500 awards for academic excellence, sponsored by Praxair.
The two received their honours from Bill Gates, the Kitchener-based Territory Manager for Praxair. The presentation occurred at a special gathering of welding students and faculty, College officials, and representatives of industries that provide partnership support to the welding system of programs at Conestoga.
The criterion for a Praxair Award is attainment of the highest academic
standing over a full year of program
studies.
Wagg, who is from Mitchell and a 1999 graduate of Mitchell District High School, is in the third and final year of the Welding Engineering Technology program. He earned his award for his performance in the second year of study. Earlier this year, he won an Ontario gold medal in the Skills Canada provincial competitions, welding category.
Kuntz is now in the second year of Welding Engineering Technology and
won his award for his first-year
accomplishments. Originally from Kitchener, he graduated from Cameron
Heights Collegiate Institute and completed one year of chemistry studies
at the University of Waterloo. He now resides in Waterloo.
Praxair operates in 40 countries and employs 23,500. It is a Fortune 500 company that supplies industry with atmospheric, process and specialty gases, high-performance coatings, and related services and technologies. In Canada, the company has three units. Praxair Canada Inc. is in the core business of atmospheric, process and specialty gases; Praxair Products Inc. is the Canadian distributor of Praxair products; Medigas supplies home oxygen and respiratory services.
In addition to the awards presentations, Conestoga College President John Tibbits recognized at the event five firms which have been effective partners of welding education at Conestoga, providing equipment and supplies that would have cost the College approximately $300,000 to purchase. These partners are: Praxair Products Inc., ESAB Welding and Cutting Products, Lincoln Electric Company of Canada, Panasonic Factory Automation Inc. and Budd Canada Inc.
Conestoga’s system of welding programs, all based at its Guelph
campus, includes the three-year Welding
Engineering Technology program, the two-year Welding Engineering Technician
program, the 38-week Welding Fitter program and the Welding/Fitting Apprenticeship
- Modular program.
CONTACT:
Karsten Madsen (Conestoga College), 519-824-9390, ext.
161 < kmadsen@conestogac.on.ca >
Bill Gates (Praxair), 519-893-6220 < bill_gates@praxair.com >