Toronto's Central Tech high school students big winners in AutoShow skills competition

TORONTO, Feb. 17, 2012 /CNW/ - Two automotive technician students from Central Technical School in downtown Toronto beat out 19 other Toronto-area high school teams to win a high-octane skills competition at the Canadian International AutoShow on Feb. 16.

Jonathan Goldhar and Peter Romeo performed a number of timed technical tasks and worked on a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta that had been rigged with a no-start condition by automotive instructors from Centennial College. The Scarborough-based college operates Canada's largest transportation technology training centre.

By finishing first, the pair will be representing Canada at the National Automotive Technology Competition in New York City in April. In addition to the all-expenses-paid trip, Goldhar and Romeo collected a trophy and equipment from sponsors.

North York's Emery Collegiate Institute finished second, thanks to the efforts of students Shariq Saiyed and Omar Shariff, while Mario Farisco and Frank Searles from Markham's Brother Andre Catholic High School earned third place.

In addition, Brother Andre teacher Jason Rehel received the first annual Gerd Riesnecker Memorial Teacher of the Year Award, named for a former Centennial professor and TADA member.

All three schools are winners, too. Their automotive shops will receive complete engines donated by General Motors Canada and Subaru Canada, which will be used for technical training.

Canadian students have been a formidable force in New York: A team from Central Technical School beat all of the U.S. teams and collected prizes worth $250,000 in 2008. A Northview Heights Secondary School team placed second in 2009.

The 13^th annual Toronto Automotive Technology Competition enjoys outstanding support from the industry. Sponsors include: TADA, the Canadian International AutoShow, Volkswagen Canada, General Motors Canada, Snap-On/Sun Tools, Subaru Canada, Consulab, Canadian Tire, Toromont, Nelson Education, Pearson Education, TecMate, CSL Canada Inc., Toronto District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board and Centennial College.

Photos available upon request.

Media contact: Mark Toljagic, Communications Officer, Centennial College, 416-289-5000, ext. 7142/[email protected]