PAGE OCR 2 – April 2009 – The Ontario Construction Report
20
th
Annual OTSC to showcase skills and engage youth
MATTHEW DESROSIERS – The OCR Construction Report Editor
If joining 20,000 enthusiastic fans in a giant facility,
cheering on 2,000 competitors in 61 different skilled trades
and technology contests sounds like something you’d be
interested in, then get out your calendars.
The 20th Annual Ontario Technological Skills Compe-
tition (OTSC) is being held this year in Waterloo, on May
4 and May 5.
This event is the largest skilled trades competition in
Canada.
“It really is exciting,” said Gail Smyth, Skills Canada
– Ontario’s executive director. “The competition has
grown so much over the years, and it has certainly become
a lot more important. I hear all the time about people who
have competed at the competitions who have received a
job offer after they compete.”
To add to the excitement, Smyth will be announcing a
substantial partnership with Lowes Canada at the event,
though she won’t divulge the details just yet.
Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Education, and John Mil-
loy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, are
both planning to attend.
Minister Milloy (left), with Brandon Young (middle)
and his fellow carpentry competitor.
Included in the two-day event will be two young
women’s conferences, and a series of activities encourag-
ing young people to look at skilled trades and technology
career choices.
“It’s a very exciting two or three days. It goes so fast,
it’s like a train coming to town, and nothing can stop it”
The competitions range from aesthetics and computer
animation, to carpentry, plumbing, and welding.
“Some of the contests are so popular that there are
more students on a wait list than there are actually in the
contest, so Skills Canada – Ontario hosts six qualifying
competitions leading up to the provincial competition,”
said Smyth.
The OTSC is open to elementary students, high school
students, and college/apprenticeship students, each in their
own category. High school and college/apprenticeship stu-
dents who win at the OTSC advance to the Canadian com-
petition being held in Prince Edward Island this May. If
they win gold there, they qualify to represent Canada at
the World Skills competition this coming September in
Calgary, Alberta. In 2010, the Canadian competition will
be hosted in Ontario.
“(The competition) is important because for a long
time, there’s been a perception that choosing a career in
skilled trades and technology is not a good choice,” Smyth
said. “I think we’re doing a lot to remove that perception
in people’s eyes, but there’s still a lot to be done. I think
it’s really good for people to see these young people en-
gaged in these contests and doing well.”
Brandon Young, 18, is a carpentry apprentice at St-
Lawrence College in Kingston. He participated in the
OTSC last year at the high school level. After he won first
place, he moved on to the Canadian competition in Cal-
gary, where he placed third in the individual carpentry
competition.
“They’re great competitions, I think,” he said. “Once
you compete in those, it looks really good on your resume.
It’s a great opportunity for young people looking to get
into the trades.”
Young said he really enjoyed the energetic atmosphere
at the competition.
“It was unbelievable when I first showed up there, the
amount of people that were going around to their compe-
titions.”
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