A Humber Polytechnic student and a recent graduate have earned a Medallion for Excellence at the WorldSkills Competition.

Paxton Coghlin and Dillon Kong proudly represented Humber on the international stage as they competed against some of the best challengers from around the globe at the 47th WorldSkills Competition, which was held in Lyon, France. Competing in the Mechatronics division, the two were awarded the medallion.

Coghlin is a second-year student in the Electromechanical Engineering Technology program while Kong just graduated from the program.

"Paxton and Dillon’s success is a shining example of how Humber Polytechnic programs focus on equipping students with the practical skills that enhance employability and set them apart in the competitive workforce,” said Ann Marie Vaughan, president and CEO, Humber Polytechnic. “We are incredibly proud of Paxton and Dillon’s achievement and thrilled knowing that their journey will inspire future generations of students to pursue their goals with determination and excellence.”  

Humber holds the distinction of being the only post-secondary institution in North America to win a medal in mechatronics at WorldSkills International.  

Humber teams have previously won gold at WorldSkills Americas in Brazil and bronze at WorldSkills International when it was held in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, Humber earned a bronze medal in the Pâtisserie and Confectionary division at the 2022 WorldSkills Competition Special Edition.  

This was the fourth time Humber has sent competitors to WorldSkills.

Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field that refers to the integration of skill sets in mechanics, electrical, electronics, pneumatics, programming, robotics and control systems needed in the advanced automated manufacturing industry.

Coghlin and Kong have been partners since November 2022 and that partnership has proven fruitful as they finished first at Skills competitions at the Humber, provincial and national levels. The two stayed sharp by training at the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation in anticipation of WorldSkills, with the support of the Advanced Manufacturing Skills Consortium partners.

Through the Building Brilliance vision, Humber works closely with industry partners to deliver impactful student experiences, bridging the gap between academia and real-world application.   

As part of Building Brilliance: Our Vision to 2030 and Beyond, we are shedding the traditional constraints of higher education and reimagining a model that both adapts to and shapes the world around us. By 2030, we will transform learning to completely reimagine the student’s educational journey by leveraging technology to achieve personalized, human-centred learning at scale. We are challenging the status quo to create a new education model for the world of today and tomorrow that will help students bridge their brilliant dreams with careers linked to strategic sectors critical to our labour market. By making bold decisions around how we fundamentally operate, we can reimagine learning, forge deeper partnerships and drive impact, creating real value and progress. This story is an example of how we are reimagining learning every day.