Manitoba Government Announces Recipients of 2022 Apprenticeship Awards of Distinction

Alyssa JonassonAnnouncements

Honourees Recognized for Outstanding Achievement: Reyes

One business and three individuals were honoured as the Apprenticeship Manitoba and the Apprenticeship and Certification Board hosted the 16th annual Awards of Distinction last night at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration Minister Jon Reyes announced today.

“I was honoured to join in this celebration of our province’s trades professionals and their outstanding contributions in developing Manitoba’s skilled workforce,” said Reyes. “Manitoba’s qualified trades professionals are important role models for those looking for interesting career options that help build a strong and healthy economy for all Manitobans. This also contributes directly to achieving the goals of Manitoba’s Skills, Talent and Knowledge Strategy.”

The annual event celebrates the outstanding contributions made by the province’s employers, journeypersons and instructors to train apprentices, and raise the public profile of apprenticeship and certification in the skilled trades in Manitoba, the minister noted.

A call for nominations earlier this year resulted in 24 nominees from colleagues, apprentices and community members. A selection committee comprised of Apprenticeship and Certification Board members and Apprenticeship Manitoba staff selected the recipients.

The 2022 Awards of Distinction were presented in the following categories:

  • employer of the year: Alladins Landscape Design Ltd.;
  • instructor of the year: Josh Church, Assiniboine Community College;
  • journeyperson of the year:
    • urban – Francis Balala, Birchwood BMW; and
    • rural – Brennen Nyles Peters, Penn-co Construction.

This year, Apprenticeship Manitoba welcomed Jamie McMillan, a Hamilton-based journeyperson ironworker, apprentice boilermaker and entrepreneur, as the event’s keynote speaker.

The event was part of Apprenticeship Recognition Week, held annually during the first week of November. Representatives from Skills Canada also attended the event as part of National Skilled Trades and Technology Week, to promote the upcoming Skills Canada National Competition that will be held in Winnipeg in May 2023.

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See news release here.