Jean Vanier students win big at CIAS skills competition

A pair of automotive technician students from Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School beat out 19 other Toronto-area high school teams to win a unique skills competition at the Canadian International Auto Show.

Moses Guce and Shaquille Lecesne performed a number of timed technical tasks and attempted to start a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta that had been rigged with a no-start condition by automotive instructors from Centennial College.

By finishing first, the tandem will be representing Canada at the National Automotive Technology Competition in New York City next month. In addition to the all-expenses-paid trip, Guce and Lecesne received a trophy and equipment from sponsors.

Thornhill’s St. Elizabeth Catholic High School finished second, thanks to the efforts of students Adam Iamundi and John Santareangelo, while Central Tech earned third place, represented by Jonathan Bagni and Jason Claudino.

All three schools are winners, too. Their automotive shops will receive a complete engine from General Motors, which will be used for technical training.

This was the twelfth year for the contest, organized by Centennial College, which promotes automotive technology as a rewarding career path. The Toronto-based college operates Canada’s largest transportation technology training centre.

Of note, Canadians have been a formidable force in New York in recent years. A team from Central Technical School beat all of the U.S. teams and collected prizes worth $250,000 in 2008. A Northview Heights Secondary School team placed second in 2009.

The Toronto Automotive Technology Competition enjoys outstanding support from the industry. Sponsors include: Toronto Automobile Dealers Association, the Canadian International AutoShow, Volkswagen Canada, General Motors Canada, Snap-On/Sun Tools, Consulab, Canadian Tire, Toromont, Ryder Truck, Nelson Education, Pearson Education, Goodheart-Wilcox Publishers, Oxford University Press, Auto-Know Inc., TecMate, Toronto District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board, and Centennial College.