St. Stephen CSS student receives prestigious provincial skilled trade award
Grade 12 student Ethan Wallis awarded Canadian Tooling and Machining Association (CTMA) High School Award
St. Stephen Catholic Secondary School student Ethan Wallis was one of five in the province to be awarded the Canadian Tooling and Machining Association (CTMA) High School Award on June 10, 2024 amongst his peers.
Currently in Grade 12, Wallis took interest in becoming a millwright in his early years at St. Stephen CSS.
“I’ve always been interested in becoming an electrical millwright, as my grandfather was a millwright and he’s been an inspiration to me,” said Wallis. “Being interested in how everything works and fits together, it only made sense that I would follow along in his footsteps.”
Wallis’ teacher, Todd Crossley, nominated him for the award when it was presented to trades educators across the province through the Ontario Council for Technology Education.
“Ethan is incredibly eager to learn about everything related to design and manufacturing,” said Crossley. “His interest in machining led him to make several lathe and mill projects that were not part of his curriculum. While many of my students want to spend their time welding, Ethan is driven to design and machine. He is incredibly creative and really enjoys bringing his designs to life.”
The CTMA High School Awards, which began in 2022, recognize students who have demonstrated a high proficiency in metalworking skills, a positive attitude, and who have plans to pursue a career in one of the precision metalworking trades.
Precision Machinists use many machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, grinders, and drill presses, to produce precision parts. These parts must be made to exacting standards, and the machinist uses precision measuring instruments to ensure accuracy and that the parts meet quality guidelines. They use their knowledge of the working properties of metals and their skill with machine tools to plan and carry out the operations needed.
This summer, Wallis is looking forward to working with Durham Pattern & Model Ltd. in a pre-apprenticeship program, and will attend a post-secondary trades program in the fall.
“In my years in industry, I have had lots of experience bringing new team members onboard. Ethan possesses all of the skills and traits I look for in an employee,” reflected Crossley. “He is a hard worker, and always on time. He always pushes himself and demands high quality results in all he does and most importantly, he has an incredibly positive attitude and works well with everybody. Ethan is going to do great things.”