3 Fanshawe Students Win Medals at Provincial Skills Competition

Three Fanshawe College students brought home medals from the annual Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC) held in Waterloo earlier this month. Architectural Technology student Joel Foster won a gold medal and will represent Fanshawe at the national Skills Canada competition in Quebec City in June. Oxford County campus students Michael Kapin, enrolled in the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician program, and Ashley Clark, a Hair Stylist graduate, received silver medals.

Architectural Technology student Joel Foster displays his gold medal from the Ontario Technological Skills Competition in Waterloo.

Joel, in his third year, said participating in the program is "a chance to represent myself and Fanshawe College on a bigger stage. It will reinforce the skills I have acquired through my classes and lead me into my future employment. Plus it gives me the ability to compare myself to the students at other colleges with the same background."

"We are proud of every student who represents Fanshawe at competitions like this one," said Dan Douglas, Chair of the School of Building Technology. "It takes courage, and it is gratifying to see them succeed in events that test their industry-specific skills and knowledge. They will take a lot of confidence away from the experience."

This is the first time the school has participated in the Architectural Technology and Design competition, which focused on the daily responsibilities of an Architectural Technologist employed in the industry, from building design and construction to proficiency with CAD software.

"We are excited [about] the result we had, especially for our first time ever competing. We are looking ahead to the Skills Canada competition and hope to place well there," said Gary Gerard, coordinator of the Architectural Technology program. "It is a great opportunity for both Joel and Fanshawe."

Michael, participating in the Post-Secondary Heating Systems Technician competition, was assessed in areas such as industry codes, equipment operation, installation, electrical and mechanical troubleshooting, maintaining fuel-based heating equipment, and applying health and safety regulations. These skills form the foundation of Fanshawe's HRAC program in Woodstock.

Ashley competed in the Men's Hair Cutting, Women's Day Cut and Style, Women's Evening Style, and Job Interview Competency categories. She finished with the second highest overall score in the competition. Ashley is currently completing her apprenticeship at Wright Hair in London.

"These students are a wonderful endorsement of our programs. They are the very best proof that Fanshawe prepares its students well for careers in their chosen field. We look forward to hearing about their success in the future," said Donna Derer, Oxford County Campus Chair. "Every year, our students compete against the best students in the province, and they consistently do very well. We have a lot of talented people studying at the Oxford County Campus."

The competition was open to students and apprentices in a variety of skilled trades and brought together over 1,800 students from across the province who demonstrated their skills in practical and theoretical applications in more than 60 separate contests.