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Precision Skills student hopes to represent Canada in WorldSkills Competition

June 15, 2016

For the second time in a row, a ��ݮ��Ƶstudent has graced the podium in the Skills Canada competition. Jonathan Adair, a recent graduate of the Mechanical Technician – Precision Skills program at ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Barrie Campus, earned the highest mark in computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling and a gold medal in the overall CNC category at the national competition held earlier this month in Moncton, New Brunswick.

The national competition saw 500 of Canada’s trades students and apprentices – from hairstylists to electricians – competing for medals in their fields.

Adair has now qualified for a chance to compete in the use of computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling machines at the 2017 WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He will be taking part in WorldSkills trials before officially joining the Canadian skills team.

“The competition was a fun experience and I had the opportunity to meet a number of people in my field,” said Adair. “It was such a thrill to win and I’m really excited to hopefully compete in the worlds.”

Adair said he was a bit nervous when he competed in the provincial Skills competition held earlier in Waterloo, and noted the experience was very surreal. But after winning gold there, he found he was more comfortable performing in front of the crowds at the nationals.

Adair will have over a year to practise before the World Skills competition in September 2017.

Every two years, the WorldSkills competition (also known as the “Skills Olympics”) showcases the best new talent in vocational training. Young skilled people from over 70 countries compete and test themselves against demanding international standards.

Jurgen Hierholzer, faculty member in Georgian’s Engineering and Environmental Technologies, was thrilled to see a second medal winner emerge from his program. Tyler Magri won a bronze medal at the 2014 provincials and qualified to compete at the 2015 WorldSkills competition in São Paulo, Brazil.

“In only a few years of participating in these skill competitions, our students have proven in a big way that we have a very good program,” said Hierholzer. “Our program allows them to be successful and shows them how to be world-class machinists.”

“We know we’ve got great faculty, great facilities and great support here at Georgian,” says Hierholzer, “but it’s rewarding to see our program officially recognized – and to have someone else tell us we’re doing a good job.”

Adair , who is from Barrie, is currently working full-time building his apprenticeship hours at Theta TTS Inc. in Barrie, where he was hired after completing his co-op education term there.