Fourteen Conestoga students celebrated medal wins on May 4 at the closing ceremony of the 27th annual Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC). Conestoga was also honoured by the OTSC and received the College Manufacturing Award and the College Award of Distinction.
This year, the OTSC featured 67 skilled trades and technologies contests and 2,100 competitors from high schools and colleges across Ontario. Contests took place May 2 and 3 at RIM Park in Waterloo with an estimated 20,000 spectators in attendance. The event is organized by Skills Ontario, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting skilled trades and technologies careers for Ontario youth.
In total, three gold, six silver and five bronze medals were awarded to Conestoga students to recognize their exceptional skills and knowledge in a variety of competition categories.
Christina Loder and Stephanie Greene dominated in the IT Office Software Application contest, with Loder winning gold and Greene taking the silver medal. Loder won gold in the same contest last year and moved on to compete at the Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) in Saskatoon where she secured the bronze medal.
Other gold medals winners were Ryan Beach for Mechanical CADD and Caleb Perry in Cabinetmaking. Conestoga’s gold medal winners will advance to the SCNC this year, hosted June 5 to 8 in Moncton, New Brunswick.
As recipient of the College Manufacturing Award, which recognizes excellence in manufacturing education, Conestoga received $5,000. Conestoga was also awarded the College Award of Distinction, which acknowledges a college that has demonstrated commitment to providing hands-on education in the skilled trades and technologies, made significant investments to skilled trades and technologies and strived for excellence in the classroom, shop and competition site. Conestoga was previously honoured with the award in 2009, 2010 and 2013.
During the closing ceremony, Skills Ontario executive director Gail Smyth thanked industry and government sponsors, educators, volunteers and competitors for their continued enthusiasm and support. Throughout the ceremony, 300 medals were awarded along with 90 monetary awards worth $65,000.
Conestoga’s 2016 OTSC winners:
Gold
- Ryan Beach - Mechanical CADD
- Christina Loder - IT Office Software Application
- Caleb Perry - Cabinetmaking
Silver
- Nate Becker - Precision Machining
- Vincent Belanger - Truck and Coach
- Brett Decarvalho - Electronics
- Stephanie Greene - IT Office Software Application
- Michael Montag - Brick Masonry
- Alexander Perrie - Heating System Technician
Bronze
- Travis Burns - CNC Machining
- Declan Fitzpatrick - Cabinetmaking
- Justin Kelly - Architectural Technology and Design
- Sam Todd - Auto Service Technician
- Phoenix Vaithilingam - Computer Aided Manufacturing
Conestoga has served as the host college of the OTSC since the competition moved to Waterloo Region in 1997. Due to growth of the event, it will relocate to the Toronto Congress Centre in 2017.
Visit the OTSC website for more information.