Tyler Gunther, Benjamin Jamison, Carter Kokot, Jacob McClelland and Tate McGarry are top in their skilled trade in Canada. But SAIT’s WorldSkills 2026 competitors want more.
They have one simple, ambitious goal — be the world’s very best.
Like athletes training for their biggest race of the year, these young competitors (under 25 years old) are working hard to step up to the global stage this September in China. Every week, they spend hours training, whether they’re sanding cupboards, troubleshooting machinery or drilling rivet holes in sheet metal.
Skills competitions — the pinnacle of the trades
Competitions happen at the regional, provincial and national level. Age-eligible gold medal winners at Worlds-qualifying nationals whose skills will be featured are given the chance to join Team Canada. For five SAIT competitors to make the national team for 2026 is nothing short of impressive.
WorldSkills competitions are in a league of their own, a significant step above the other levels. Nerves need to be managed in a whole new time zone, where other languages are spoken and different cultures are at play. The clock is ticking as competitors give their all to complete good work efficiently. There are four days of focus before the finish line comes into sight. To face this pressure, competitors need mental resilience alongside technical capability.
Meet the SAIT team stepping up to the daunting task, and the village behind them, supporting them as they pursue excellence.
Tate McGarry
Skill: Cabinetmaking
From intricate campaign tables to cupboard designs with wonky angles, dovetail joints and veneer overlays, cabinetmaking is the intricate relative of carpentry.
Before taking a carpentry class in Grade 10, McGarry helped his dad with a few projects around the house. He realized he was interested in working on projects with smaller details, which led him to the Cabinetmaker apprenticeship at SAIT.
“You need an eye for detail and patience,” he says, describing a person who might enjoy this kind of work. It’s a form of artistry, one the Lethbridge native wants to do to the best of his ability, and which he showcased at a competition in Germany in Fall 2025. McGarry looks forward to much of the same in Shanghai. “I’m excited to compete against the best from countries around the world.”
McGarry's team
- Harold Bergmann, Cabinetmaker instructor , trainer and WorldSkills expert (right)
Ben Jamison
Skill: Aircraft Maintenance
In his job at STARS Air Ambulance, Jamison keeps an eye on the sky and ensures aircraft are ready for takeoff through tasks like sheet metal work, wiring and inspection.
In November 2025, he flew to Toronto to attend an annual convention for aircraft maintenance engineers. There, he was paired with a team of Air Canada engineers in friendly competition featuring various tasks to do fast. His team did well, placing second out of 22 teams.
In preparation for what’s to come, Jamison previewed the trainer aircraft to be used at WorldSkills on YouTube. “They pulled out all the stops, I’ll tell you that much,” he says. It’s a plane cut in three, requiring competitors to perform various tasks, like layout configuration and assembling electrical components. The level of work demanded on the plane seems daunting.
To feel confident he can face it, Jamison will keep practicing required skills until they become muscle memory. Then he’ll be ready to step into what awaits in China.
Jamison's team:
- Ryan Gillis, STARS aircraft maintenance engineer and trainer (right)
- Gabriel Jacques, WorldSkills expert (not pictured)
Carter Kokot
Skill: Automobile Technology
Ask Kokot a question about cars and his face will light up.
The big perk of being a Skills competitor is sharing that passion with people near and far (like in when he joined Skills France national competition). “You go there, and everybody cares about cars. There’s a lot of good people to meet and talk to,” says Kokot.
As an automobile technology competitor, his work involves troubleshooting vehicles, their engines, breaks and all kinds of parts involved in a smooth ride. He’s looking forward to doing that in China.
“I’m excited to meet people from around the world with the same passion as me.”
Kokot's team:
- Harley Breadner, Automotive instructor and trainer (top right)
- Nathan Banke, WorldSkills expert (bottom right)
Jacob McClelland
Skill: CNC Milling (Machining)
McClelland’s deep curiosity about machining began in high school, spotting an older lathe in his mechanics class.
“Hey, what’s that cool-looking machine over there?” he asked his teacher. Discovering the tool (it rotates a workpiece to perform various operations such as cutting or drilling) sparked his passion for machining.
Now, the apprentice is working at Fidelity Manufacturing, crafting all sorts of equipment and pieces for different sectors — aerospace, oil and gas and medical. WorldSkills will allow McClelland to go even further.
“It’s a chance to push myself beyond my limits.”
McClelland's team:
- Tim Wong, Machining Instructor and trainer (top right)
- Jurgen Hierholzer, WorldSkills expert (bottom right)
Tyler Gunther
Skill: Industrial Mechanics (Millwright)
Industrial mechanics don’t get bored, according to Gunther. Gunther troubleshoots and fixes a variety of machinery you’ll find in industrial settings or production plants, like aligning a motor to a pump.
He discovered the trade while researching other work opportunities, joining Propak Systems in Airdrie as a sandblaster first before seizing the opportunity to become an industrial mechanic apprentice. When he joined SAIT in January 2025, Jason Parnell, his trainer, approached him with the opportunity to compete at Provincial Skills only a few months later.
“It was a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be.” After coming in first provincially and nationally in 2025, Gunther dreams of climbing the podium in China. “Thanks to Skills I get to travel to a place I might not have otherwise and compete against the best in the world.”
Gunther's team:
- Jason Parnell, Industrial Mechanics instructor and trainer (right)
- Mohamed Flyes, WorldSkills expert (not pictured)
It takes a village
Trainers and experts
Like a sports coach supports an athlete throughout their training, Skills trainers and experts support their competitors in the mountains and valleys, the small wins and breakthroughs.
They design training and help the apprentices build mental resilience to face the pressure of representing Canada. Skills experts meet with competitors throughout the year to provide advice on conquering the international stage.
In Fall 2025, two experts, Nathan Banke and Jurgen Hierholzer, stopped by SAIT to support training sessions for their competitors, Kokot and McClelland. On Jamison’s trip out east for a conference, he made a stop in Montreal to visit his expert, Gabriel Jacques, who provided him with helpful sheet metal work practice. Future training opportunities are in the works for Gunther, and as for McGarry, he gets a two-in-one deal with SAIT instructor Harold Bergmann serving as his trainer and expert.
Employers and industry partners
Employers are key in supporting apprentices with on-the-job training and their pursuit of global excellence. A few of them shared the significance of having one of their team members heading to Shanghai.
For a young man to be spending his extra time honing his craft, Carter showcases a lot of the same values we believe in — working hard while remaining modest. It’s like we have an Olympian in our midst.
Todd Richardson
Dealer Principal, Lexus Royal Oak
We are proud of Ben and are excited to support him as he represents Canada on the world stage. STARS has a long history of operational and education excellence in the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) field, and we see Ben as a clear reflection of our organization's commitment to the people we serve.
Dwight Webb
Director of Maintenance, Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS)
We’re really proud of Tyler. He’s looking to leverage everything he can out of this opportunity — to be the best for his employer and to be the best for himself. He’s all in on it. Propak sells high-quality products worldwide, so having our own personnel representing us at an event like this continues to build the culture of excellence we try to promote.
Jim Hanson
Managing Director, Technical Sales, Propak Systems Ltd.
Supporting our competitors the whole journey
WorldSkills is still months away, so our apprentices and the amazing teams who support them are deep in training until the time comes to jump on a plane and step up to the global stage.
Follow along the journey to Shanghai 2026 and stay tuned for what’s next from SAIT’s five competitors.
SAIT WorldSkills competitors go global to train for China
Skills competitions — aka, the Olympics of the trades — happen in 89 countries. Both Kokot and McGarry are slated to compete in the WorldSkills competition in September 2026 in Shanghai. They were invited to tackle national competitions in France and Germany as part of the global partnerships between the nations involved in Skills.
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On the road to 2026 WorldSkills, SAIT competitors prepare to represent Canada after taking home the top prize at regional and national competitions
Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.
SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.