Ontario Construction News staff writer
More than 500 students and apprentices from across Canada competed in 40 skills areas at the Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) 2024, in Québec City at the end of May. The list of medalists is available on the Skills/Compétences Canada Website.
About 250 medals were awarded to top competitors in six skilled trade and technology sectors including:, construction, transportation, manufacturing and engineering. Competitors were evaluated based on strict industry standards and competed against the best in Canada.
Throughout the event about 6,000 student visitors, industry leaders, government officials and industry celebrities took part in onsite activities such as the Skills Showcase featuring First Nations, Inuit and Métis Skills, the Empowering Women in the Trades initiative and over 50 Try-A-Trade® and Technology activities. Celebrities included Cynthia Gauthier, welder and professional monster truck racer, and a strong advocate for women in skilled trades.
“The Skills Canada National Competition allows us to engage with our country’s future skilled workforce and inform them of the many opportunities that exist in the skilled trades and technologie,” said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer, Skills Canada. “Through interactive activities, they can discover their interests and the great careers that are available to them in these in-demand sectors.”
The Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) is supported by our Funding Partner the Government of Canada, as well as our Presenting Sponsors, UA Canada, Cenovus Energy and Home Hardware. SCNC 2025 will be held at the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) District, in Regina, Saskatchewan on May 29 and 30, 2025.
PCL Construction partnered with the Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) for its trade and technologies showcase.
The competition, which promotes skilled trade and technology careers to Canadian youth, was held at ExpoCité in Québec City on May 30 and 31, 2024. PCL also partnered with recently held Skills Canada provincial competitions and the Girls Exploring Trades & Technologies (GETT) program leading up to the SCNC.
“By empowering our young generation to pursue careers in skilled trades, PCL is not only addressing the immediate workforce gap but also helping build a foundation for sustainable growth and innovation in our industry,” said Mike Wieninger, PCL’s COO of Canadian Operations. “With the abundance of current and future opportunities in our country, these aspiring tradespeople and those who follow in their footsteps will become the backbone of our economy.”