TORONTO, Ont. — Three Ontario college students have been awarded scholarships care of the trucking industry.

Sky Wemigwans of Wikwemikong has taken home the Trailcon Leasing Trailer Service Technician Scholarship, while Scott Andree of Waterloo and Michael Staines of New Hamburg have been awarded with Glasvan Great Dane Truck Trailer Service Technician scholarships. All three students were enrolled in Conestoga College’s Truck Trailer Service (co-op) program.

The awards were presented at the Trades and Apprenticeship Awards Ceremony hosted by Conestoga College in Waterloo May 20. This year marked the first year that scholarships have been presented for both Trailcon Leasing and Glasvan Great Dane.

Wemigwans, a father of one daughter, chose the truck-trailer service program so that he could work closer to home. He also felt comfortable with the trade having become familiar with the equipment during his three-year tenure as a tractor-trailer driver.

“I’m so pleased to be able to provide some financial assistance to such a hard-working student, and particularly one who has first-hand experience in the trucking industry as a driver,” says Al Boughton, president of Trailcon Leasing in Mississauga and sponsor of the scholarship. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to encourage individuals to pursue the trailer service trade while providing much-needed assistance to someone who has demonstrated a strong commitment to his education.”

Staines is a mature student who returned to school to obtain qualifications to help him be more successful in a changing labour market, and is the father of three children. Andree says he hopes to one day be able to work on both trucks and trailers, but is currently geared up find employment as a trailer technician.

“This is very exciting for us” says George Cobham, chairman and CEO of Glasvan Great Dane Sales in Mississauga. “I believe that we, both as a trailer sales company and as a member of the Ontario trucking industry, have a responsibility to encourage and assist today’s students with educations that will ultimately benefit the entire industry.”

Winners of the scholarships are selected by Conestoga College using academic performance criteria along with established criteria to assess financial need.

Both scholarships are funded by an endowed fund sponsored by each company and administered by the OTA Education Foundation.