Six students from A.E. Peacock Collegiate captured top honours at the 2026 Skills Canada Saskatchewan Provincial Competition on March 27, earning medals across three automotive categories in a strong showing for the school’s autobody program.
“All of the students I had at the skills competition this year share a hard working nature. Each one, regardless of the area, gave their best effort.” said A.E. Peacock Collegiate autobody instructor Theron Bloudoff.
The students competed in car painting, auto body repair and job task demonstration, securing gold, silver and bronze placements against peers from across the province.
The annual competition challenges students with real-world tasks under time constraints. In auto body repair, competitors completed a B-pillar section, a hinge buckle dent project and chassis measuring. Car painting participants refinished a two-tone hood panel following OEM procedures, while job task demonstration required a 25-minute presentation covering processes such as damage detection and occupational health and safety.
Bloudoff noted that preparation for the event is embedded in the school’s curriculum, with senior students accumulating up to 525 hours of shop experience. Many also participate in extracurricular training through the school’s car club, where they refine skills such as masking, panel prep and refinishing.
Younger competitors also performed strongly, with Grade 10 students Ciara Schollar and Ethan Durrant applying classroom projects directly to competition tasks, brining home gold and silver medals, respectivley.
The results underscore continued industry demand for skilled entry-level workers, Bloudoff said, adding that graduates entering the trade often secure apprenticeship opportunities immediately after high school.
“We often have a handful of students head directly into shops right after graduation to pursue their Red Seal,” he said.
The program receives support from industry partners, including the Saskatchewan Association of Automotive Repairers, which contributes to training opportunities for students.
Results -- Skills Canada Saskatchewan:
Autobody Repair
- Gold: Ciara Schollar (Peacock Collegiate)
- Silver: Ethan Durrant (Peacock Collegiate)
- Bronze: Paxton Beam (DLC/Estevan Comprehensive School)
Car Painting
- Gold: Xavier Walz (Peacock Collegiate)
- Silver: Memphis Wilderman (Peacock Collegiate)
- Bronze: Tanner Kivol (Peacock Collegiate)
Job Task Demonstration
- Bronze: Owen McLeod (Peacock Collegiate)
Other winners in this category have not yet been publicly released.
