Two students at Portage Collegiate Institute are sporting some extra hardware, after taking part in the Skills Canada Manitoba skill competition for automotive service last week. Austin Little took home the silver in the high school auto service category, and says he tried to take a laid back approach as he worked on maintenance exercises during the competition.

"The competition was fairly easy. The teachers talked about it like it was a hard thing, but I went in all relaxed and came out with a surprising award."

Meanwhile Bradley Hammersley claimed third, after being called up on at the last minute. He attended the event as a spare, and discovered he'd be competing just minutes before the competition started. He notes working in the open environment did take some getting used to, but says he was thrilled to find out he received the bronze medal.

"I was a little bit shocked, because I didn't think I did that well. I went in as a secondary guy, I wasn't really expecting to come out with anything, so with third place I was pretty happy."

Portage Collegiate's automotive class is no stranger to taking awards at the provincial level, with several banners on display in the shop. Instructor Sean Benedictson says they're consistent ability to deliver the province's top competitors says a lot about the program.

"We've been able to develop such quality students competing in skills over the years. That's in big part due to the support we have from the school board, administration, and the dedication of our staff. All three instructors work really hard to give them the best education possible."

Leo Lanouette's another instructor for the program, and notes the students ongoing dedication to their work is incredibly apparent, especially during the provincial competition.

"The students are the main reason we're here, and the initiative they took to do the best they could, coming in for extra time and that. You could tell by the way they talk they're fairly relaxed and confident about how they were going to go out and do the best they could. That says a lot of their abilities and dedication to what they want to do here."

Benedictson adds the students always take a lot of pride in their work, and it's exciting to see their skill level recognized at the provincial level.