Perth student’s bronze medal win highlights CDSBEO’s largest-ever team at provincial skilled trades competition

Thirteen students from six secondary schools in the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) made board history at the 2026 Skills Ontario Competition. The board participated with the largest team they’ve ever had competing in skilled trades and technology events, with one student taking home a bronze medal.

Since 1989, the not-for-profit organization Skills Ontario has been promoting skilled trades and technologies through their competitions for elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students.

The Skills Ontario Provincial Competition took place from Monday, May 4 to Thursday, May 7, 2026 at the Toronto Congress Centre. The CDSBEO students joined over 3,200 students from across Ontario who competed in more than 70 skilled trade and technology competitions.

All of the students qualified for the provincial competition by participating in regional events. Thirteen CDSBEO students participated in competitions such as brick masonry, carpentry, cabinetmaking, house building, automotive service technology, and retail meat cutting.

Several CDSBEO schools participated for the first time this year including St. James Catholic Education Centre, Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School, St. Matthew Catholic Secondary School, and St. Mary Catholic High School.

Josh Bingley, a construction technology (woodshop) teacher at St. John Catholic High School was one teacher who attended the competition with the students. In an email to Lanarkist, he mentioned that St. John students have been attending Skills Canada competitions for over 20 years.

“I’m a former student at St. John, my woodshop teacher and mentor had taken me to our school’s first competition for carpentry back in the early 2000s,” Bingley wrote.

This year, a Grade 12 St. John student, Carter Simpson, made his school proud by winning a bronze medal in the bricklaying/masonry competition. Simpson is a registered Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) participant and recently completed his Level 1 apprenticeship training in Ottawa. Following graduation, he has secured full-time employment with Norwood and Company in Perth.

Bingley shared his thoughts on the learning experience the Skills competitions offers to students.

“Students experience the stress and reward of a full day’s work, it’s a grind what they accomplish in a matter of six hours.

“Students develop important academic and practical skills through this hands-on experience,” he continued. “They gain communication, teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They also learn how to manage time and work under pressure,” he added.

The CDSBEO students represented their board with their skills and work ethic, gaining hands-on experience in the trades.

For more information about Skills Canada, visit their website here.