Fanshawe wins bronze at Skills Canada

Fanshawe College went to Edmonton looking for precious metals and found some. Architectural student Becky DeKleyn, a 2012 OTSC gold medalist, won the bronze medal in the architectural design and drafting competition at Skills Canada.

Becky headed to Edmonton on May 11 as part of team Ontario to join the medal chase and was joined by more than sixty competitors from Ontario to compete with the nation’s best.

Becky and competition advisor Gary Gerard prepared for the return to Skills Canada for weeks leading up to the event. The architectural students were put through a two-day architectural design and drafting competition and asked to complete a series of complex architectural drawings of an existing building. 

This year’s competition focused on a recently constructed fire station in Ottawa, Ontario. Becky and competitors from Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan spent twelve hours testing their skills.

This was Fanshawe’s second straight visit to nationals, having placed last year. The hopes were high. When asked about what it was like to represent Fanshawe's architectural program, Becky said, "I just want to go in there and do what we have been practicing and what I know."

She also went on to say, "there has been so much support for me to do this, it’s incredible; my employer Nicholson Sheffield Architects, Fanshawe, my family, my advisor, everyone one really. They have been so helpful."

During Wednesday’s closing ceremonies, both the competitor and advisor were anxious to see the hard work pay off.  As the competition results flashed onto the jumbo screens, the hard work did pay off. Becky had won the bronze medal and it was another great day for Fanshawe at Skills Canada. 

When asked to describe what it was like to visit the podium and receive a national bronze medal Becky said, "it’s amazing and I am shocked actually. I just wanted to do well! It’s humbling to realize that you are part of the nation’s best architectural students."

When Gerard was asked about medaling twice in two years he said it’s "almost unbelievable, it is tough enough to get here, let alone be on the podium. Every competitor here was the best! Clearly we are doing the right kind of teaching." Gerard went on to say, "this is about our students and their dedication. The hard work they put in gives them these opportunities. We are all proud of Becky." 

With two medals in two years, the Fanshawe Architectural program looks to continue sending their students to skills competitions annually.

"The benefits to our students are great; they get to apply their studies to the real world while doing it against the best students from across Canada," Gerard said. 

The 2013 Ontario Skills competition (OTSC) will be hosted in Waterloo next May.  Gold medalists in the 2013 OTSC will be invited to the 2013 Skills Canada competition in Vancouver. With good luck and time, Fanshawe hopes to be back.