This spring, nearly 50 Saskatchewan Polytechnic students and apprentices shone brightly at the provincial skills competition hosted by Skills Canada Saskatchewan, earning gold, silver and bronze medals. Among the winners, 12 are apprentices registered with the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) and trained by Sask Polytech. Sixteen of these talented individuals will advance to the Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) in Regina from May 28-31.
"Skills Canada competitions at both provincial and national levels provide students and apprentices with excellent opportunities to showcase their skills and connect with industry professionals," says Dr. Larry Rosia, Sask Polytech president and CEO. "We’re proud to showcase the value of a polytechnic education though the Skills Canada competitions. Congratulations to all the winners and good luck at nationals! We are looking forward to hosting the SCNC in Regina this spring.”
“Apprentices competing at the Skills Canada competitions represent the rising talent of our workforce in Saskatchewan,” said Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) CEO Jeff Ritter. “It’s great to see so many apprentices demonstrating their passion for the skilled trades. Best of luck to all those advancing to the SCNC!”
"Skills Canada Saskatchewan is honoured to have Sask Polytech students represent Saskatchewan at SCNC," says Krystal Nieckar, executive director of Skills Canada Saskatchewan. "In this province we have a lot of talented young folks, highlighting the excellence of educational programs like those at Sask Polytech. Special recognition goes to the teachers and instructors who champion Skills Canada Saskatchewan. They integrate competition training into classrooms and shops, offering students valuable opportunities in skilled trades and technologies.”
Competition categories range from technical skills including graphic design, game development, electronics; to skilled trades such as plumbing; bricklaying; carpentry; machining; aesthetics, hairstyling and welding.
Skills Canada Saskatchewan plays a crucial role in promoting and developing the skilled trades in Saskatchewan. These competitions are fantastic as they allow students to showcase their talents, elevate the recognition of skilled individuals and highlight the importance of skills in driving economic growth. Skills Canada Saskatchewan helps students develop their confidence and encourages them to continue their education in the skilled trades to prepare for future careers. The provincial competition was held at Sask Polytech’s Saskatoon campus in March.
Congrats to the Sask Polytech winners! Good luck to the students who will continue onto the SCNC in May. SCNC is Canada's premier event for students and apprentices in skilled trades and technologies. Over 500 competitors from across the country participate in more than 40 different competitions.
| Skill category | Place | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Construction sector | ||
| Bricklaying #20 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Kyler Nieman Level 4 Bricklayer apprentice Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Joshua Bradley Level 2 Bricklayer apprentice |
|
| Bronze | Daylon Schrader Level 1 Bricklayer apprentice |
|
| Carpentry #26 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Bradley Bendtsen Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Ty Loewden | |
| Bronze | Jacob Wiebe Level 3 Carpenter apprentice |
|
| Industrial Control #19 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Keenan Bresch Level 3 Construction Electrician apprentice Competing at SCNC |
| Plumbing #15 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Wesley Rowe Level 3 Plumber apprentice Competing at SCNC |
| Refrigeration and Air Conditioning #38 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Owen Fisher Level 3 Refrigeration & Air Conditioning apprentice Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Aiden Nelson Level 4 Refrigeration & Air Conditioning apprentice |
|
| Welding #10 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Liam Maloney Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Jackson Gillies | |
| Sheet Metal Work #43 | Gold | Raine Robinet Competing at SCNC |
| Information technology sector | ||
| Electronics #16 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Yaoji Yang Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Han (Drea) Le | |
| Bronze | Anh Nguyen | |
|
Game Development #D2 |
Gold | Monchida Rujimethapas Alitha Good Na Wang |
| Silver | Kieran Bute Danae Hallett Mason Harding Connor Legault |
|
| Bronze | Oghenvwarhe Onosakponome Chin-Wei Kin |
|
| Graphic Design Technology #40 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Jorda Thomas Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Kaden Schmidt | |
| Bronze | Arthel Bulayog | |
| IT Network Systems Administration #39 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Bowen Liu Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Liam Orr | |
| Bronze | Dawson Burkholder | |
| Manufacturing and engineering sector | ||
| CNC Machining #6 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Chance Hoene Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Quoc Viet Dinh | |
| Bronze | Kaitlynn Theoret | |
| Industrial Mechanic #1 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Gage Boychuk Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Layton Lavoie Level 3 Industrial Mechanic apprentice |
|
| Bronze | Emma Yelland | |
| Mechanical Engineering CAD #5 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Jacob Murphy Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Vishalkumar Lakhwani | |
| Bronze | Haley Burnouf | |
| Precision Machining #3 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Marcus James Level 4 Machinist apprentice Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Parker Lalach Level 2 Machinist apprentice |
|
| Bronze | Jesse Hamm Level 4 Machinist apprentice |
|
| Employment sector | ||
| Cooking #32 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Erin Oleksyn Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Megan Bianca Delos Reyes | |
| Bronze | Kyron James | |
| Transportation sector | ||
| Automobile Technology #33 (post-secondary) |
Gold | Suzanna Rosas Competing at SCNC |
| Silver | Andrew Laliberty | |
| Bronze | Terrence Jae De Torres | |
Full medal results can be found here.
More information on Skills Canada Saskatchewan is available at skillscanadasask.com.
The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) oversees and administers the apprenticeship system in Saskatchewan. The organization trains apprentices; certifies tradespeople and apprentices; regulates the apprenticeship system; and promotes apprenticeship. Institutions such as Sask Polytech are contracted by the SATCC to provide apprenticeship training across the province.
Many full-time programs still have available seats for fall 2025. Learn more at saskpolytech.ca/fall2025.