Top placing local students in four categories will be moving on to the provincial level after an exciting day of fierce competition at the 2025 Regional Technological Skills Challenge in Owen Sound.
Held on Monday, February 24 at Sydenham Campus, Georgian College, and Owen Sound District Secondary School, this year's event featured 28 students in skilled trades programs from five secondary schools across Bluewater and Bruce-Grey Catholic district school boards.
An initiative of the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), students had a chance to square off in the categories of Welding, Hairstyling, Automotive, and Carpentry – Team of Two. Local industry judges were on hand to grade the participants according to sector-specific criteria.
Here are the top three students from each category at Regional Skills 2025:
Welding
1. Logan Kestner – Sacred Heart High School
2. Zacary Mullin – Grey Highlands Secondary School
3. Talan Hope – Sacred Heart High School
Hairstyling
1. Gloria Libicz – Owen Sound District Secondary School
2. Lexy Quesnel – Owen Sound District Secondary School
3. Morgan Sinclair – Owen Sound District Secondary School
Automotive
1. Amy Dyck - John Diefenbaker Senior School
2. Victoria Williams - Owen Sound District Secondary School
3. Erin Osborne - Grey Highlands Secondary School
Carpentry – Team of Two
1. Gavin Garland and Landon Fry – John Diefenbaker Senior School
2. Charlie Marshall and Emmett Jackson – Saugeen District Senior School
3. Reegan Schiestel and Colby Folmer – Sacred Heart High School
The top three Welding students from each board will move on to compete at the 2025 Skills Ontario Qualifying Competitions in Barrie on Saturday, April 5. In Bluewater, these include Zacary Mullin (GHSS), Wyatt Knowlton (GHSS), and Alex Cameron (OSDSS). The first-place finishers in the remaining categories will advance directly to the 2025 Skills Ontario Competition on May 5, 6, and 7 in Toronto.
Congratulations and best of luck to all the advancing competitors. All students who stepped up to participate and showcase their talents at Regional Skills are also recognized.
As students competed, partners, technology teachers, and board staff enjoyed a tour of the MAX Solutions Inc. packaging facility. It was a chance to observe firsthand the processes involved in the manufacturing of folding cartons, labels, and rigid packaging, which mainly serve the pharma, health and beauty, and horticulture markets.
Thanks to this year's donating partners, Huronia Welding and Industrial Supplies, Snap-on, and Bumper to Bumper, along with Georgian College, whose instructors and facilities helped to make the day a success, and Sydenham Campus for providing their location. Appreciation is also extended to OYAP, the judges, technology teachers, and other staff, who were instrumental in providing another invaluable opportunity for local students to shine and explore career pathways in the skilled trades.