At a glance
- Canada’s largest skilled trades competition brought together Ontario’s top elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students in May.
- More than 2,400 students displayed their talents as they competed in a variety of contest areas, ranging from robotics to plumbing.
- As Ontario grows, the province’s electricity sector will need more skilled trades to complete critical energy projects, including OPG’s Darlington New Nuclear Project.
A whole lot of brain-power was on display at this year’s Skills Ontario Competition in Toronto.
More than 2,400 students put their knowledge, hands, and nerves to the ultimate test as they vied for medals in 70 diverse contest areas, including robotics, electronics, carpentry, plumbing, photography, culinary arts, and more.
Held over two and a half days in early May, Canada’s largest skilled trades competition brings together the province’s top elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students to prove they are the best in their field
One event that’s always good to attract a big crowd is the robotics contest, which sees teams of secondary students control their remote-controlled creations to complete various games.
We try to teach them well in class so they’re prepared for events like this. Some get really nervous and others just love the whole experience, regardless of what happens.Carlo MelaragnoTeacher and judge at 2025 Skills Ontario Competition
As a judge, teacher Carlo Melaragno has seen the level of competition—and quality of the robots—get better each year over his four years of judging.
“The teams have been great and getting better each year,” he said. “There are a lot of things that can go wrong in this competition. Parts can break, and robots might not be able to shoot the ball to complete the game. So, teams always need to be prepared to fix things on the fly.”
A teacher at Madonna Catholic Secondary School in Toronto, Melaragno coaches teams of eager students to build their mechanical wonders, one gear at a time.
The club has been so popular that the all-girls school fielded four teams at this year’s competition—two Grade 11 and two Grade 12 teams.
Last year, the school’s robotics team won gold at the Skills Canada National Competition, capping off an extraordinary season that saw the team go undefeated at all three competitions at the board, provincial, and national levels.
“We try to teach them well in class so they’re prepared for events like this,” said Melaragno. “Some get really nervous and others just love the whole experience, regardless of what happens.”
Winners of each competition at Skills Ontario are awarded with gold, silver, or bronze medals, and the opportunity to compete on the national stage at the Skills Canada National Competition.
In addition to contests, the Skills Ontario Competition also features a Career Exploration Showcase, with more than 70 interactive displays and exhibits from many Ontario colleges and industry representatives, including OPG, a premium sponsor for the event.
Since 1989, Skills Ontario has worked to build the province’s skilled trades and technologies workforce. It’s a mandate that is only growing in importance as OPG works to build more clean energy projects to electrify life in one generation, a task that will require more skilled trades.
As the company starts constructing new energy infrastructure, including North America’s first Small Modular Reactor, it will look to Ontario’s up-and-coming, talented skilled trades featured at this year’s Skills Ontario Competition to get the job done, safely and with quality.
To learn more about careers at OPG, visit opg.com/careers.
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