Ontario Technological Skills Competition

May 4, 2016

Walters Group participated as a bronze sponsor in the Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC), held in Kitchener on May 2nd and 3rd, 2016. The OTSC offers a unique opportunity for top students to demonstrate that they are the best of the best in their field, by competing in a vast array of skilled trades and technologies.

Grades 7-12 is an important time in a student’s life to consider skilled trades and technologies as viable, first-choice career options. The event was attended by approximately 20,000 students, teachers, volunteers, family, friends, businesses and spectators.

This year both steel fabrication and welding were demonstration events which are expected to become full competition events in 2018. The Walters booth also showcased the Walters/Mohawk College partnership in education.

Interest in the Walters booth was tremendous – both interactive and interesting! Students were outfitted with welding helmets and jackets to get up close to see live welding of real connectors for the West Block Parliament Rehabilitation project. Walters staff engaged the crowd by sharing their skills and talents. Everyone could watch the live welding on a GoPro screen. 

People were lined up to try out their skills on the welding simulator – interactive virtual reality proved to be fun for everyone. A few of Waterloo’s finest gave it a go too! High score of the day was 96% – Wayne McLeod, Walters welder!

The crowd was amazed to learn that the two 5,000 pound nodes on display were real connectors that will shortly be erected in the parliament buildings in Ottawa. Spectators could see a visual 3D model of a section of the roof. A poster with the architect’s rendering, a close up of the node and its exact placement of it on a Tekla building information model (BIM), helped explain the purpose of the connectors and illustrated the massive scope of the project.

The Honourable Reza Moridi, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities; David Tsubouchi, Registrar and CEO of Ontario College of Trades; Pat Blackwood, Chair, Ontario College of Trades; and Gail Smyth, Executive Director of Skills Ontario; took in some welding on West Block Parliament.

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