George Brown College (GBC) students demonstrated exceptional talent on the national stage, securing gold and bronze medals at the 2025 Skills Canada Competition, held May 29-30 in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Luca Assad from the Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Culinary Management) program captured gold in the Cooking competition, showcasing remarkable culinary artistry and technical precision. Lyndsey Jordan from the Sheet Metal Worker Apprentice program earned bronze in the Sheet Metal Work competition, demonstrating the breadth of expertise and skill across GBC's applied learning programs.
Both competitors had previously dominated their category at the Skills Ontario Competition in Toronto on May 5-6, where their gold medal victories secured them the chance to represent Ontario at the national level.
Their journey to victory reflects months of dedicated and intensive preparation. Competing against top talent from across Canada, Assad received support from coaches Trevor Ritchie and Andrew Evans, while Jordan worked with coach Shayne Speck throughout her preparation and competition.
With this gold medal victory, Assad will advance to the WorldSkills competition in Shanghai, China, in September 2026. She will be the first student from GBC to represent the institution on this international stage.
"Watching Luca compete at this level has been absolutely inspiring," said Rudi Fischbacher, Dean of the Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts. "Her technical skills, creativity, and composure under pressure truly highlight the calibre of talent we're developing in our programs. This gold medal victory is a testament to her excellence, our dedicated faculty, and the strength of our programs."
Dr. Adel Esayed, Dean of the Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies, praised Jordan's achievement in the competitive sheet metal category. "Lyndsey's bronze medal is a powerful statement about the future of skilled trades," he said. "She represents the next generation of highly skilled professionals who will drive innovation in skilled trades. Her success proves that when we invest in hands-on learning and industry-leading facilities, our students can compete with anyone in the country."
Building the future together
The success builds on GBC's strong showing at the 2025 Skills Ontario competition, where the institution secured a total of five medals, reinforcing its position as a leader in hands-on, career-focused education that meets industry demands.
Both medalists will now serve as mentors for future GBC Skills competitors, passing on their expertise and experience to the next generation of George Brown students. Their victories not only bring honour to the college but also showcase the vital role of skilled trades and culinary arts in Canada's workforce development.
