Mohawk College Skills competitors earn top honours in national competition

Mohawk College Skilled Trades programs were well represented on the national stage, with three students capturing podium honours at Skills Canada National Competition May 30 and 31 in Quebec City.

Following up on impressive results from the Skills Ontario competition earlier in May, five students from Mohawk College skilled trades programs competed against students from colleges across the country and returned home with one gold medal and two silvers. Overall, more than 500 students and apprentices from across Canada competed for the national championship in over 40 skill areas.

Colton Lawrence, coached by faculty members Monika Gonthier and Bob Paladichuk, was the 2024 national champion in the Autobody Painting category.

A 2024 apprentice graduate of the Automotive Collision Repair program, Lawrence was previously involved in Skills competitions in high school and jumped at the chance to represent the college when his professors asked him. Competing at the national level truly put his skills to the test, with strict time limits that prevented a number of competitors from finishing the assigned projects.

“You have to do the best you can in the time you’re given,” Lawrence said. “What I learned in class really helped me be prepared.”

He also credited his apprenticeship experience for developing his skills. In particular, he recognized veteran auto painter Frank Grimes at Sutton Collision in Guelph, who mentored Lawrence on the job. “If you want to be the best you have to learn from the best,” he said.

And, as his national gold medal testifies, Colton Lawrence is the best in Canada.

Liam Alford, coached by Bob Paladichuk and Monika Gonthier, earned the National Silver Medal in the Autobody Repair competition.

This was Alford’s third time competing in Skills competitions. In high school, he placed second in 2018 in the Autobody Repair category and in 2019 he finished third in Auto Painting. That experience helped the Autobody Apprenticeship student stay on his game in 2024.

“Competing against others from across the country wasn’t as stressful as I was expecting,” Alford said. “Once we started working, I was able to focus on the task at hand and only worry about that.”

Alford said he appreciated the festive atmosphere of the event's opening and closing ceremonies and the opportunity to spend time with Team Mohawk members while they were in Quebec.

“Skills is important to me because it showcases the trades and lets young people display their skills to Ontario and Canada,” Alford said. He is grateful to his coaches and the Mohawk College Skills organizers, specifically Skills Coordinator Justine Kaldeway and Associate Dean Rebecca Isowa, for their work behind the scenes.

Graduating Aviation Technician - Aircraft Structures student Jarvis Noon, coached by Adam Sabourin, earned the Skills Canada National Silver Medal in the Skills Canada Aviation competition.

“The competition was very tough,” said Noon. “I remember sitting in the opening ceremony with my mind blown at the number of people and provinces that were represented and knowing that I was a part of such a large event was very intimidating. But I tried my best not to think about that!”

Unlike many of the competitions, competitors in the Aviation category couldn’t measure their results against the others until the end. “It was a pretty awesome surprise when we found out where we placed!” Noon said. “Wanting to help prove the quality of my program compared to the other Aviation programs out there… was a real driving force for us and helped motivate me to practice.”

Sabourin worked with Noon and his teammates for four to five hours a week to prepare for the provincial and national competitions – a commitment of time that Noon truly appreciates.

“Being able to pursue and put my passion for my career on display was something that really appealed to me, and I'm so glad that it paid off!”

Louis Budai, a graduate of the Manufacturing Engineering Technician - Automation (Industrial Mechanic Millwright) program, coached by Dave Clarke, competed in the Industrial Mechanic Millwright category in Quebec after winning a gold medal at Skills Ontario. Sheet Metal graduate Charles Batista, coached by Brian Lyle and Cam Wakeling, competed in the Industrial Mechanic Millwright category, having won the 2024 Skills Ontario Gold Medal in that competition.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the 2024 Skills Ontario and Skills Canada competitions.

For any students considering getting involved in Skills competitions next year, gold medal-winner Colton Lawrence offers a message of encouragement: “Even if you aren’t going for a medal, you can learn a lot from the experience.”