Winners of the Technological Skills Competition in Rainbow Schools

Rainbow District School Board hosted is fourth annual Technological Skills Competition at Cambrian College on Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Approximately 90 secondary school students tested their skills in seven events – auto service technology, carpentry (team), welding, precision machining, autoCAD, Rube Goldberg and cabinet making. First place winners, who will move on to the qualifying competition in North Bay in April, will be vying for an opportunity to participate in the provincial competition in Waterloo in May.

AND THE WINNERS ARE….

AutoCAD   

First        Anthony Bozzo, Lasalle Secondary School
Second    Kerry Roach, Lasalle Secondary School
Third        Courtney Radey, Lasalle Secondary School

Awards presented by:
Louise Turcotte, Associate Dean, School of Skills Training/SkyTech, Cambrian College


Auto Service Technology 

 
First        Rylan Pilbacka, Lively District Secondary School
Second    Joshua Pitfield, Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School
Third        Chris Paquette, Confederation Secondary School
Safety    Joshua Pitfield, Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School

Awards presented by:
Hazel Bottrell, Labour Co-Chair, Sudbury Manitoulin Workforce Partnerships Board

Safety Award presented by:
Marlene Moore, Manager of Marketing and Communications, Atlas Copco

Cabinet Making

  
First        Lindsey Smith, Lively District Secondary School
Second    Katelyn Stamplecoski, Confederation Secondary School
Third        Rod Boucher, Espanola High School
Safety    Andrew Pen, Lockerby Composite School

Awards presented by:
Hazel Bottrell, Labour Co-Chair, Sudbury Manitoulin Workforce Partnerships Board

Safety Award presented by:
Marlene Moore, Manager of Marketing and Communications, Atlas Copco

Carpentry – team 

 
First        Kevin Emiry and Tyler Hobbs, Espanola High School
Second    Tom Raskevicius and Jordan Assinewe, Lockerby Composite School
Third        Kyle Patrick and Andrew Spurr, Lively District Secondary School
Safety    Steve Lafreniere and Jessy Hykin, Chelmsford Valley District Composite School

Awards presented by:
Alain Robineau, Provincial Liaison Officer, Skills Canada Ontario

Safety Award presented by:
Marlene Moore, Manager of Marketing and Communications, Atlas Copco

Precision Machining

   
First        Tanner Charbonneau, Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School
Second    Ricky Charbonneau, Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School
Third        Sandy Bissett, Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School
Safety    Curtis Sutcliffe, Lasalle Secondary School

Awards presented by:
Sharon Orlak, Manager, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, Rainbow Schools

Safety Award presented by:
Marlene Moore, Manager of Marketing and Communications, Atlas Copco

Rube Goldberg   

First        Dayna Peloquin, Courtney Radey, Wei-Wei Berkerleg and Justin Landry
        Lasalle Secondary School
Second    Anthony Bozzo, Kerry Roach, John levesque and Mohamed Bouhedda
        Lasalle Secondary School

Awards presented by:
Marlene Moore, Manager of Marketing and Communications, Atlas Copco

Welding   
 
First        Tyler Schouten, Espanola High School
Second    Jovic Miladinovic, Lasalle Secondary School
Third        Adam Leblanc, Lively District Secondary School
Safety     Daryl Burke, Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School

Awards presented by:
Vern Cammack, Sales representative, Linde Canada Limited

Safety Award presented by:
Marlene Moore, Manager of Marketing and Communications, Atlas Copco

The Conference Board of Canada estimates that there will be a shortage of one million workers in the trades and related occupations within 20 years. “Industries that rely on apprenticeships, including construction, transportation, manufacturing and services, have been growing and need new workers,” said Rainbow District School Board Chair Judy Hunda.  “The Technological Skills Competition serves to promote and profile careers in the skilled trades and technology, making students aware of the wealth of opportunities that exist. On behalf of the Board, I congratulate all participants and wish all winners the best as they move on to the next level of competition. I also thank all of our sponsors for their ongoing support."

As part of the competition, 100 Grade 8 students visited Cambrian College and took part in four one-hour workshops. These workshops, delivered by Vale Inco and Cambrian College, provided insight into career opportunities in the mining industry and programs offered at the college.

“Students need to begin thinking about careers at an early age,” said Sofia Gallagher, the Rainbow District School Board’s Curriculum Coordinator for Science and Technological Studies. “Linking classroom instruction with real life experiences is a key component of our destination based curriculum. The Technology Skills Competition brings learning to life in a fun and creative way. It also enables us, as educators, to respond to the needs of employers by exposing students to the world of opportunities that await them in the exciting field of trades and technology. The mining component of this year’s event enabled our students to prepare for Rainbow District School Board’s Specialist High Skills Major in mining which is currently being piloted in Rainbow Schools.”

The trades and technology departments at Cambrian College provided the locations for the various events and prepared the written and practical tests for the day for the secondary competitors.  They also provided judges. Two of the events were held at Lasalle Secondary School. Teachers from Rainbow District School Board were involved in developing the scopes for some of the competitions. 

Participants went home with some wonderful prizes thanks to the support of community businesses and organizations, including the Sudbury Manitoulin Workforce Partnerships Board, Dixon Electric, Handyman Connection and OYAP. A plaque was presented to the winning school in each category. 

Rainbow District School Board salutes the many staff members who worked in partnership with the community to organize the Technological Skills Competition:

Rob Smith – Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School
Chair of the Rainbow District School BoardTech Association
Denis Dormer – Chelmsford Valley District Composite School
Sofia Gallagher – Rainbow District School Board
Irving Noble – Manitoulin Secondary School
Rob O’Neill – Sudbury Secondary School
Sharon Orlak – Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
Peter Vigna – Lasalle Secondary School

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Media Contact:

Sofia Gallagher, Curriculum coordinator,
Science and Technological Studies,
Rainbow District School Board, (705) 523-3308 ext. 8203