Centennial graduate earns medal at WorldSkills London

Nine months before London, England, hosts the world at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, another international competition concluded in the British capital with Team Canada distinguishing itself with a fine performance that included a medal win by Centennial College graduate Ryan Gomes.

After four days of grueling competition, the 30 young men and four women who made up Team Canada at the WorldSkills London 2011 event took home an impressive four medals and 17 medallions of excellence. It was the biggest WorldSkills competition in the event’s 60-year history, with almost 1,000 young people from 51 nations showing off their acquired skills in everything from robotics to web design, and cuisine to landscaping.

Ryan Gomes earned a Bronze Medal in Aircraft Maintenance – the program he had studied at Centennial’s School of Transportation and graduated from in 2010. It was a long journey to London for Ryan: he qualified for the WorldSkills competition after winning gold medals at both the Ontario Technological Skills Competition and the subsequent Canadian Skills Competition last year.

According to Skills/Compétences Canada, a national not-for-profit organization that actively promotes careers in skilled trades and technologies, Ryan’s win at WorldSkills London 2011 contributed to Canada’s best overall performance of any WorldSkills Competition. Canada won thirteen medallions of excellence at the 2009 WorldSkills Competition held in Calgary.

“Preparing for WorldSkills London 2011 has been an intensive two-year training process for the 34 young competitors who make up Team Canada,” said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer, Skills/Compétences Canada. “With ongoing support from the Government of Canada, industry leaders and educators, these talented young people represent a bright future for Canada’s skilled trade and technology workforce, and we couldn’t be more proud.”

Ryan graduated from Centennial’s two-year Aircraft Maintenance program in June 2010 and is currently employed in the aircraft industry. Ryan’s hometown is Cambridge, Ontario.