George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
George Brown College (GBC) student competitors showcased excellence at the annual Skills Ontario Competition on May 5-6, 2025, bringing home three gold and two silver medals.
Students from the centres for Construction and Engineering Technologies, Arts, Design and Information Technology and Hospitality and Culinary Arts, along with their faculty and staff mentors, competed across multiple disciplines, demonstrating exceptional talent and preparation.
Medal winners set to advance to nationals
The gold medalists, Luca Assad, Lyndsey Jordan, and Jayesh Kumar Busgeeth, are now preparing to represent GBC at the Skills Canada National Competition, which will take place on May 29-30 in Regina, Saskatchewan.
"Skills Ontario isn't just about performance on competition day. It's a platform where our students demonstrate their talents in front of industry professionals after months of dedicated preparation," said Tara Ferguson, Associate Dean of the Chef School. "This showcases not only their skills but the exceptional mentorship from our faculty."
"At competitions like this, our students face the same high-pressure environment they'll encounter in industry,” shared Albert Danison, Associate Dean of the School of Computer Technology. “Their ability to adapt and solve problems on the spot showcases why our graduates are so valued. These competitions don't just test skills; they reveal character and innovative thinking that no classroom assessment can measure."
Engaging future trades professionals
This year's GBC exhibition featured hands-on demonstrations that allowed visitors to experience skilled trades firsthand. The booth's interactive plumbing challenge created by Professor Rainier Bratsch-Blundel proved especially popular. Visitors to the booth enjoyed new Skilled Trades at GBC branding created by the Marketing and Communications department, as well as coin-stamping, cookies and conversations with our staff and faculty teams.
"Skills Ontario is a celebration of trades excellence, but it's also a crucial recruitment pathway,” explained Dev Baichan, Associate Dean, School of Apprenticeships & Skilled Trades. “When young people witness our competitors in action, they can envision themselves in these roles."
Jeff Steen, Associate Dean of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, added: "Skills Ontario represents the perfect intersection of education and industry. Watching our students perform under intense pressure showcases their technical abilities and readiness for real-world careers, giving them a competitive edge when they enter the field."
Apprentice’s act of solidarity earns gold
A touching and unexpected moment unfolded when GBC Sheet Metal apprentice Lyndsey Jordan finished her competition task ahead of schedule. Observing that two other women competitors were having difficulty with their tasks, she displayed remarkable leadership by offering assistance to help them complete their projects on time. This demonstration of support for women in trades highlighted her dedication to empowering others in her industry while achieving her own success.
"What makes Skills Ontario so powerful is seeing our student competitors represent George Brown College," said Bryan Mulveney, Operations Coordinator for the School of Apprenticeship and Skilled Trades. "They were selected from their classes to compete, and I believe every single one of them is a winner—medal or not—because the experience and challenges they overcome will showcase throughout their entire working career."
Team GBC at Skills Ontario
Architectural Technology and Design:
- Silver medal: Kazuma Yoshimura
- Competitor: Mario V
- Mentor: Dr. Adel Esayed
Baking/Patisserie:
- Competitors: Ayla Ward, Kailen Radia
- Coach/Mentors: Markus Elegino, Jaewon Sabina Lee, Vincent Willyanto
Coding:
- Silver medal: Dilvir Singh
- Competitors: Sokmontrey Sythat, Jose Britto Saaji
- Coach: Andrew Rudder
Culinary Arts:
- Gold medal: Luca Assad
- Coaches: Trevor Ritchie, Andrew Evans
- Support: Kennedy Miedema-Dorcas
Electrical Installations:
- Competitor: Simon Hone
- Coach/Mentor: Bryan Heudier
Heating Systems Technician:
- Competitors: Jacob Switzer
- Coaches/Mentors: Sergejs Golomedovs, Steven Racey
Mechanical CAD:
- Gold medal: Jayesh Kumar Busgeeth
- Mentor/Coach: Dr. Adel Esayed, Elena Georgescu
Plumbing:
- Competitor: Samuel Sckrapnick
- Coaches/Mentors: Marc Lesley, Rainier Bratsch-Blundel
Restaurant Service:
- Competitors: Erin Hammer, Dhwani Verma
- Coaches: Doris Miculan-Bradley, Andy Hickl-Szabo, Chris Bain
Sheet Metal Work:
- Gold medal: Lyndsey Jordan
- Coach: Shayne Speck
Web Design and Development:
- Competitor: Aadi Badola
- Coach: Andrew Rudder
Welding:
- Competitor: Rylie James McGarvey
- Coach: Robert Slaney
Acknowledgements for Team GBC at Skills Ontario
Booth Coordination: Dev Baichan, Rainier Bratsch-Blundel, Elina Cortez-Ralston, Joey Dellemonache, Vanessa Dunne, Dr. Adel Esayed, Tara Ferguson, Michelle Hahn, Derek Jensen, Nicola McLaughlin, Edna Moreira, Laura Mulrine, Bryan Mulveney, Olena Shklar, Abigail Shuster, Rob Slaney, Shayne Speck, and Jeff Steen.
Booth and Young Women’s Conference Volunteers: Benjamin Abebe, Basi Aranha, Dayna Cranson, Gage Fletcher, Chef Brett Hoffman, Chef Vi Van Lam, Lilly Lazare-Greene, Marc Lesley, Jules Lewis, Chef Chris Loizou, Chef Julie Montgomery (high school Bake judge), JD Oxford, Robyn Papoff, Chef Lucy Godoy, Chef Sara McCulloch, Chef Jessica Martineau, Chef Nis’ku Closs, Chef Tracey Freeman, Chef Sue Fleming, Chef Wendy Mah, Chef Jocelyn Bouzenard, Chef Patrick Secord, Chef Warren Ford, Saiva Steinhards, Asia Taylor, Rubia Helena Rosa Viana Queiroz and our student volunteers Brooke-Lynn DeBlois, Nyia Grant-Merchant, Tavia Grant-Merchant, and Parker Hellmuth.
Thank you to the college Campus Store and GBC Eats teams for their support with apparel and branded cookies.
