Over 100 secondary students from across Bruce and Grey Counties, including a large contingent from Bluewater District School Board, attended the premier local skilled trades event of the year on Friday, March 23, 2018 in Owen Sound. Hosted by the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), the 14th instalment of the Regional Technological Skills Challenge invited students enrolled in trades related programs to compete in eight diverse categories under the watchful eye of local industry judges.

Here are this year's results from each challenge:

Automotive
1st – Declan Mowle – Kincardine District Secondary School
2nd – Clay Hollinger – John Diefenbaker Senior School
3rd – Lyan Blankers – John Diefenbaker Senior School

Carpentry – Team of Two
1st – Tyler Hennessy and Caleb Hawkins – St. Mary's High School
2nd – Derrick Cornfield and Gabe Close – Georgian Bay Community School
3rd – Mark O'Brien & Ethan Cameron – Bruce Peninsula District School

Culinary
1st – Dre Wannamaker – Saugeen District Secondary School
2nd – Jazmyn Munn – Saugeen District Secondary School (Dual Credit)
3rd – Kirsten Chamberlain – Sacred Heart High School

Electrical Installations
1st – Ashton Nearingburg – Bruce Peninsula District School
2nd – Aaron Price – John Diefenbaker Senior School
3rd – Tyler Jissink – Saugeen District Secondary School

Hairstyling
1st – Brooke Cardinal - Owen Sound District Secondary School
2nd – Kat Kool - Owen Sound District Secondary School
3rd – Hannah Borland - Owen Sound District Secondary School

Precision Machining
1st – Everett Grubb – Sacred Heart High School
2nd – Will DeBoer – Owen Sound District Secondary School
3rd – Jeremy Elbert – Sacred Heart High School

Small Powered Equipment
1st – Rob McGregor – Kincardine District Secondary School
2nd – Sheldon Becker – John Diefenbaker Senior School
3rd – John Brillinger – John Diefenbaker Senior School

Welding
1st – Dawson McBurney – John Diefenbaker Senior School
2nd – Kody Schnurr – Sacred Heart High School
3rd – Rhys Martin – Sacred Heart High School

Ten Bluewater District School Board students have advanced to compete at the Skills Ontario Qualifying Competitions in Barrie on April 7, 2018. There are also 25 additional Bluewater students who have qualified as Direct Entry Competitors for the Skills Ontario Competition in Toronto on May 7 and 8, 2018. Bluewater students have continually performed well in skilled trades competitions at the regional, provincial, and national levels. In 2017, students who advanced to the provincial challenge garnered one gold and one bronze medal. One of those students also represented Ontario at the national event, where they secured gold.

Prior to the awards ceremony, a special announcement was made by the Community Foundation Grey Bruce to reveal the results of its Smart and Caring Education Community Fund initiative, which supports local students pursuing post-secondary education and training in skilled trades related careers. The initiative has already surpassed its goal with more than 1.8 million dollars currently available thanks to the generous contributions of donors in our communities.

OYAP extends thanks to the many community sponsors, judges and volunteers, as well as the technology teachers in every school for their overwhelming support in ensuring the success of this event, and for enabling local students to explore career pathways in the trades.

source: media release, BWDSB