At its annual Building on Excellence event on October 21, Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) recognized a talented and dedicated group of apprentices who demonstrated exceptional knowledge and abilities at Skills competitions during the past year. RDP apprentices earned a total of 10 medals at the provincial and national level and delivered an impressive performance at the WorldSkills Competition in China.
Left to right : Chris Weder, Manager of Programming & Resource Relations, Skills Canada Alberta; Lindsay Engel, Vice President, Academic and Student Experience, RDP; Lucas Stang, RDP Welding Apprentice; Lee Yasinski, RDP Welding Instructor & Skills Coach; Dane Schmidt, RDP Welding Apprentice; Ty McCartney, RDP Carpentry Apprentice; Larz Hirschkorn, RDP Carpentry Instructor & Skills Coach; Nathan Brehaut, RDP Sprinkler Systems Installer Apprentice; Chris McCloskey, RDP Sprinkler Systems Installer Instructor & Skills Coach; David Pye, Dean, School of Trades and Technology, RDP
In 2026, Red Deer Polytechnic apprentices achieved three gold, three silver and one bronze medal at the Skills Canada Alberta competition held at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. Building on that success, Ty McCartney (Carpentry), Nathan Brehaut (Sprinkler Systems Installer) and Dane Schmidt (Welding) earned gold medals at the Skills Canada National competition in Toronto.
With Schmidt's national title, Red Deer Polytechnic celebrated its seventh national welding gold medal in eight years. Lucas Stang (Welding) also earned a Medal of Excellence and placed sixth at the 2026 WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, China, a remarkable achievement that reflects the program's excellence and global stature.
"The achievements of our apprentices is a testament to the strength of our skilled trades programming and support from industry partners," says David Pye, Dean of the School of Trades and Technology, Red Deer Polytechnic. "As demand for skilled workers continues to grow, RDP, through initiatives such as the Central Alberta Trades Strategy, is helping build a strong pipeline of highly trained professionals who will support economic prosperity for years to come."
Red Deer Polytechnic apprentices continue to rank among the top post-secondary achievers across the province and nation. Since 2003, the Polytechnic's apprentices have remarkably earned a total of 104 medals at Skills Canada Alberta, Skills Canada National and WorldSkills competitions.
RDP's leadership in skilled trades education is further strengthened through the Central Alberta Trades Strategy, a collaborative initiative involving NOVA Chemicals, a part of Borouge International, post- secondary institutions and industry partners. By modernizing skilled trades training with improved access, enhanced flexibility, stronger coordination and long-term sustainability, the Strategy will help ensure the region has the skilled workforce needed to support industry growth and enhance economic resilience.
As the third-largest provider of skilled trades in Alberta, RDP will educate and train 2,800 apprentices this year across 17 Apprenticeship programs.
The next post-secondary Skills Canada Alberta competition will be held May 5-6, 2027 in Edmonton, with the National Competition following in Calgary on May 27-28, 2027.
Learn more at: rdpolytech.ca/trades.
Backgrounder: Summary of the achievements by Red Deer Polytechnic apprentices at Skills competitions in 2026
