Students from Conestoga College recently brought home 15 medals from the 2026 Skills Ontario Competition, highlighting the strong career pathways available to residents in Brantford and across the province.
The competition, which took place May 4-5, 2026, at the Toronto Congress Centre, is the largest skilled trades and technology contest in Canada. It featured more than 2,800 competitors facing off in over 50 different categories. Conestoga students earned six gold, four silver, and five bronze medals, tying with Humber Polytechnic for the highest medal count among all participating institutions.
During the event’s closing ceremony, the college was honoured with the College Award of Distinction, which is granted to the institution that demonstrates the highest overall achievement throughout the competition. Among the standout performances was student Aidan Merchant, who secured his second consecutive gold medal in the precision machining category.
Five of the college’s gold medalists have now qualified to represent Team Ontario at the Skills Canada National Competition. That event is set for May 27-30, 2026, at the Enercare Centre in Toronto, where students will compete in areas including auto service technology, brick masonry, cabinetmaking, precision machining, and welding.
This success highlights the importance of vocational training as the province works to address a growing labour gap. According to provincial estimates, Ontario will require an additional 400,000 skilled trades workers over the next decade to support planned infrastructure projects. For those in Brantford, the college offers a variety of diploma and certificate programs in trades and other fields at its local campus, including specialized training provided at the Brantford Municipal Airport.
