Three students from Assiniboine College in Brandon, Manitoba, are heading to the national stage after bringing home gold medals from the recent provincial skills competition. Nicole Mogk, Ashley Pogson, and Dennis Ngendakumana will represent Manitoba at the Skills Canada National Competition, which takes place in Toronto on May 28 and 29, 2026.
The three students were among 21 participants from the college who competed in Winnipeg last week. Across the event, 15 students from the institution earned medals in various skilled trades and technology categories. In total, the provincial competition saw more than 500 students from across Manitoba test their skills in 42 different contests.
Mogk secured gold in 3D Digital Game Art, Pogson placed first in Graphic Design Technology, and Ngendakumana earned the top spot in the plumbing competition. These students will now join more than 550 competitors from across the country at the Enercare Centre in Toronto to demonstrate their expertise at a national level.
The success of these students comes as the college continues to play a significant role in addressing national workforce needs. The federal government recently announced $2.25 million in funding for the school to support the adoption of mechatronics and promote skilled labour growth within the region. This investment is part of broader efforts to train workers for high-demand sectors, as industry data from BuildForce Canada indicates that approximately 245,000 construction workers across the country are expected to reach retirement age by 2032.
Assiniboine College, which has grown since its start as the Brandon Vocational Training Centre in 1961, has a history of producing nationally competitive talent. Following in the footsteps of recent graduate Brooke Heaman, who is set to compete at the international level in Shanghai later this year, the current group of medalists continues to highlight the practical training provided by the college.
