Securing a job even before graduating is a dream for many college students – and for electromechanical engineering students Santiago Moros and Joshua Donnelly-Robertson, that dream has become a reality.

And it’s probably safe to say that multiple gold medal wins in skilled trades competitions over the past two years has helped foster that dream.

The duo have both secured jobs in their field of automation and robotics after winning three gold medals in the mechatronics category at previous Skills Ontario and Skills Canada events, most recently in this year’s provincial competition.

The Skills Ontario competition is an annual multi-trade and technology competition for students and apprentices who compete in over 40 trades.  Moros and Donnelly-Robertson will advance to the National Skills Competition, which will be held June 4-7 at the International Centre in Mississauga.

Along with Moros and Donnelly-Robertson, Humber also won gold in the automation and controls category, as well as several silver and bronze medals in categories including horticulture and landscape, electronics, aesthetics, plumbing, and mechanical CAD.

“The Skills competitions give me experience in working under pressure. I think that’s what companies see in Humber students, because we don’t only touch on electrical and controls, we understand the entire process,” says Moros, 20, who is moving to Michigan in June to start his job at Esys Automation. “Not many people get the opportunity to compete at these levels or even come to Humber for this program.  I feel honoured to be offered a job in the field I like even before I graduate.”

At the Skills competitions, Moros takes charge of the mechanical aspects of the winning machine, while Donnelly-Robertson handles the programming.

Donnelly-Roberson, 24, is now a service technician with 416 Automation in Mississauga.

“Humber offers you a wide range of skills that really set you forth to achieve anything you want to succeed in,” said Donnelly-Robertson. “Presently we are practicing for Nationals and that’s going really well. Last year’s competition was strenuous but I think it really helped us to get into the mindset because we know what we will be facing this time.”

At Skills Ontario, the pair had also helped prepare first-year students Avery Bird and Theodor Wilbert to compete. They won silver at this year’s provincial competition – just behind Moros and Donnelly-Robertson. 

“The industry is in need of young talent,” explains Neal Mohamed, co-ordinator of the Electromechanical Engineering program. “Our involvement is to promote and train our young people in this program so that they can go out there and make a name for themselves. We train them at a higher level to make them more marketable to industry leaders.”

For the past four years, Humber has won gold in mechatronics at both the provincial and national levels, and has also competed internationally.