CANADA’S CHAMPION

THE PATH TO GLORY IS PAVED WITH OEM TRAINING SESSIONS ACROSS CANADA AND THE U.S.

Ethan Almeida is spending more time in transit than most collision technicians spend in paint booths.

The 21-year-old technician at Excellence Auto Collision – Midwest has logged training sessions in Texas and California, along with extensive travel within Ontario, since winning national gold in auto body repair at the Skills Canada National Competition in Regina last May. More trips are scheduled before he represents Canada at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 next September.

The competition runs September 22 to 27, 2026, and will draw roughly 1,500 competitors from more than 70 countries to the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. For Almeida, the nine months between now and then mark the most demanding training stretch of his four-year Skills career.

“It’s usually one or two trips every quarter, depending on when the OEMs are offering training,” Almeida says. “We sign up whenever we can.”

“Competition forces you to understand what clean, accurate work actually looks like.” — Ethan Almeida

That training is not incidental. Bill Speed, who will coach Canada’s auto body team at WorldSkills, worked with Excellence Auto Collision to design a training routine that aligns Skills preparation with OEM programs as they become available. Speed has described the national field this year as “one of the strongest we’ve had in years,” underlining the level of preparation required to compete internationally.

“He’s already completed training with Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Lucid Motors, and he’s working through Jaguar Land Rover and BMW as well,” says Mark Milson, director of operations at Excellence Auto Collision. “We’ve also partnered with Flatline Equipment to train on Car-O-Liner systems.”

The Audi training in Milton focused on advanced welding procedures. Almeida has completed steel welding certification and will move into aluminum next. Excellence Auto Collision – Midwest’s 2,787-square-metre (30,000-square-foot) facility serves as his home base, where he practices between trips and refines techniques under real shop conditions.

“Skills taught me precision. Competition forces you to understand what clean work really means.” — Ethan Almeida

“When you’re away for two weeks at a time, you feel it,” Almeida says. “You miss home.”

Shanghai will be different. It will be his first trip to Asia, and more than a week will be taken up by competition activities alone. The final itinerary has not yet been released, leaving open questions about travel logistics and whether family members will be able to attend.

“My family was ecstatic,” Almeida says. “The second my name was announced, my phone blew up. Ever since I started the Skills journey, they’ve been talking about coming to China.” The nerves have not arrived yet.

“It’s an amazing opportunity, and it still hasn’t fully sunk in,” he says. “I don’t think the nerves will hit until a couple of weeks before.” That confidence is grounded in experience. Almeida’s path to Shanghai began almost by accident. He was working as a custodian at an autobody shop when he realized he wanted to learn the trade. That led to a Grade 12 co-op placement at Excellence Auto Collision through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, which allows high school students to earn apprenticeship hours while completing their education.

About a month into the co-op, Milson and shop owner Peter Woo asked whether he planned to compete in Skills that year. “I didn’t even know what Skills was,” Almeida says. “They explained it to me.” A former hockey player, the decision came easily. “I’ve always been competitive,” he says.

The 2022 competition was fully virtual, held under pandemic restrictions. Almeida signed up late, set up a corner in the shop and went in with no real expectations. He won provincial gold and advanced to nationals, where he also took gold.

The following years proved more challenging. In 2023, Almeida earned silver at the provincial level. In 2024, he returned to the provincial competition and finished with bronze. Those results made this year’s double gold — winning both provincials and nationals — especially meaningful. “Winning this year was a huge relief,” Almeida says. “I think I’d been spoiled by what happened early on.” For him, the appeal of Skills goes beyond podium finishes. “It’s a public way to prove yourself,” he says. “No one forces you to do it. You train because you want to.” That mindset carries into everyday shop work.

“Skills taught me precision,” Almeida says. “Competition forces you to understand what clean, accurate work actually looks like.” Milson recognizes that shift because he experienced it himself. He won Canadian gold in 2004 and represented Team Canada at WorldSkills in 2005, placing seventh in Helsinki. That experience shapes how Excellence Auto Collision approaches apprentice development.

“I have a version of the same conversation with every apprentice,” Milson says. “We encourage co-op students because Skills teaches life skills you can’t really learn anywhere else.”

The support is structural as well as cultural. Founded in 1986, Excellence Auto Collision operates three locations with more than 5,575 square metres (60,000 square feet) of production space and has built its reputation around OEM certification and ongoing training. In 2024, the company’s Silver Star location joined the Bentley Motors Body and Paint Programme, requiring strict facility standards, specialized tooling and technician training. That infrastructure creates natural overlap between shop work and Skills preparation.

“I’ll never forget representing Canada on the international stage,” Milson says. “It showed me what’s possible in this trade.” The program Excellence Auto Collision built around Almeida reflects that philosophy. “We try to do this for all our apprentices,” Milson says. “Passing down knowledge and experience matters. When you invest in young people, the whole industry benefits.”

Milson points to Almeida’s ability to absorb and apply information as a defining trait. “He’s very good at taking what he learns and putting it to use,” he says. “That willingness to learn stands out.” Almeida is already thinking about what comes next. He is realistic about the physical demands of the trade and where he wants to be long term. “In 10 years, I’d like to be managing, or running, a shop of my own,” he says. “I love being on the tools, but it’s hard on the body. I want to keep my passion intact.” Working alongside mentors who invested time in him shaped his view of the industry. “You can work as hard as you want,” Almeida says. “If no one’s guiding you, it’s hard to move forward.” His advice to young technicians is straightforward.

“Find a shop that’s willing to support you,” he says. “Some places leave young people to figure it out on their own. The right crew makes all the difference.” Milson keeps his expectations for Shanghai grounded. “We’re incredibly proud he’s made it to the world stage,” he says. “That alone is a huge achievement. No matter the result, he’s already done exceptionally well.”

Almeida agrees, even as he looks ahead. “I’d love to do the same for a co-op student one day,” he says. “Keep passing that torch.” First comes Shanghai

“At this level, preparation and support make the difference.” — Bill Speed

“When you invest in young people, the whole industry benefits.” — Mark Millson