OCNews

Okanagan College (OC) students delivered a standout performance at the 2026 Skills Canada BC Provincial Trades and Technology Competition, earning multiple medals across trades and technology disciplines.

Held on April 15 at the Tradex in Abbotsford, the 32nd annual provincial competition brought together approximately 500 of the province's top secondary and post-secondary students who had previously earned gold medals at regional competitions across BC.

Leading OC's results were three gold medalists. Emily Frick claimed top honours in Car Painting, demonstrating exceptional precision and craftsmanship. Vladyslav Usach earned gold in Collision Repair, coached by Andreas Roth, in a performance that reflected the powerful combination of student talent and instructional excellence. Jaxson Provencher added a third gold for OC in Refrigeration, coached by Darrin Turner, showcasing the advanced technical knowledge and problem-solving skills critical to today's skilled trades workforce.

OC also celebrated three silver medals and a bronze. Olivier Gravel earned silver in Heavy Duty Mechanic under the coaching of Jamison McGaw, and Kewin Sommerfeld took silver in Automotive, coached by Davor Kacic. In the technology stream, Mitchel Poole earned silver and Connor Hamilton earned bronze in IT Network Systems Administration, adding depth to OC's medal count across disciplines.

Gold medalists at the Provincial competition advance to represent BC at the 2026 Skills Canada National Competition in Toronto, Ontario, on May 28 and 29, 2026.

OC also recognizes the students who competed in Carpentry, Electronics, Sheet Metal and Welding. Their participation at the provincial level reflects commitment, courage and a willingness to test their skills on one of BC's most competitive stages.

A special moment of pride was shared across the Trades department with the success of a dual credit student who earned Gold in Cabinetmaking — the son of OC instructor Andrew Starling. His achievement speaks to the generational impact of skilled trades education and the passion for excellence that runs through OC's classrooms and communities. OC also congratulates all dual credit students who medaled, whose results highlight the strength of the College's partnerships supporting seamless transitions from secondary to post-secondary education.

"These results speak to the exceptional talent, commitment and professionalism of our Trades students, as well as the dedication of the instructors and coaches who support them every step of the way," said Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship at Okanagan College and Skills Canada BC board member, Caitlin Hartigan. "Competing at this level takes skill, confidence and resilience, and our students demonstrated all three. We are incredibly proud of every competitor who represented Okanagan College and showcased the strength of skilled trades education."

“This week’s federal commitment to training up to 100,000 skilled trades workers by 2030 aligns directly with the work we do every day at Okanagan College,” said OC’s Provost and VP Academic, Dr. Samantha Lenci. “The results our students continue to achieve at competitions like Skills Canada BC Provincials are proof of what’s possible when they have access to exceptional instruction and the opportunity to compete at the highest level.” 

Congratulations to all medalists, competitors, coaches, instructors and dual credit students on these outstanding achievements.

Medal Summary – 2026 Skills Canada BC Provincial Competition

Emily Frick – Car Painting – Gold
Olivier Gravel – Heavy Duty Mechanic (Coach: Jamison McGaw) – Silver
Connor Hamilton – IT Network Systems Administration – Bronze
Mitchel Poole – IT Network Systems Administration – Silver
Jaxson Provencher – Refrigeration (Coach: Darrin Turner) – Gold
Kewin Sommerfeld – Automotive (Coach: Davor Kacic) – Silver
Vladyslav Usach – Collision Repair (Coach: Andreas Roth) – Gold

 

To learn more about programs at Okanagan College visit okanagancollege.ca.