Students from Markham, Ont., placed 12th at the prestigious National Automotive Technology Competition on April 24 in New York City.
The grade 12 students, Vincent Servinis and Samuel Luff from St. Brother André Catholic School, represented the Trillium Automotive Dealers Association (TADA) at the event, which was held during the New York International Auto Show.
“I was excited but also very nervous to represent Canada in New York City,” said Luff. “As expected, the competition was quite fierce, testing our automotive knowledge, skill, and our ability to perform the tasks as quickly as possible. I’m very proud of how my teammates and I finished — it was an amazing experience.”
His teammate, Servinis, said they had to “diagnose, repair and correct vehicles that were purposely outfitted with faults and operating problems” during the two-day event.
He said they raced against the clock alongside the best automotive students in the U.S. “Without a doubt, being a part of this amazing experience has confirmed my desire to become an automotive technician.”
The competition is considered to be the most important one of its kind in North America, featuring the best of the best in terms of automotive high school-educated students from across the U.S. and Canada. A total of US$3 million in prizes and scholarships are awarded to participating students and schools every year.
“We’re very proud to be supporting this competition,” said TADA President Susan Gubasta. “Not only does it present an incredible experience for Ontario students in terms of skills development and problem solving, but it is also aligned with a deep need for more qualified labour in auto dealerships across Canada.”
