08/14/2026
A huge congratulations to AME Apprentice, Xin, for his gold medal win at the Skills Canada Competition. He previously achieved success at the Skills Manitoba Competition as well, a testament to the power of putting in the effort and always working to improve. We couldn't be more proud to have him as part of our team.
To celebrate and learn more about the competition and his career, read his Q&A below:
➡️What inspired you to become an AME and what has your journey looked like so far?
I’ve always enjoyed working with tools, and becoming an AME allowed me to pursue that passion. It’s a challenging, fast-paced environment that I find rewarding, with plenty of opportunities for growth that I’m striving for.
I studied Aircraft Maintenance Engineering at Red River College Polytech and graduated in April 2026. Before coming to Canada, I didn't have a mechanical background, so I worked hard both inside and outside of the classroom to build my skills and I took every opportunity to develop and practice my hands-on skills.
Before joining Perimeter, I developed my mechanical abilities in an automotive shop and gradually transitioned into aviation to become more comfortable working around aircraft. Looking back, all the preparation and effort I invested in gave me a good foundation and helped me earn the opportunity to work as an aircraft mechanic.
➡️For those who may not be familiar, can you explain what the Skills Competition is and what it involves?
I participated in two competitions: Skills Manitoba and Skills Canada in Aerospace Technology (Transportation Sector).
These Olympic-style events are designed to showcase and promote careers in skilled trades and technologies. They bring together secondary and post-secondary students to demonstrate their hands-on expertise, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to continuous learning.
Skills Manitoba - Provincial Level: Each spring, Skills Manitoba hosts a competition where hundreds of students compete in more than 40 hands-on contests, ranging from robotics and 3D animation to hairstyling and Aerospace Technology.
Skills Canada - National Level: Gold medalists from provincial competitions become part of Team Manitoba and advance to the annual Skills Canada National Competition, where they compete against top talent from across the country. This year’s was held in Toronto at the Enercare Centre.
WorldSkills - Global Level: Exceptional national competitors may have the opportunity to represent Team Canada at the international WorldSkills Competition held every two years. While there was no WorldSkills event for me to attend this year, winners from the last national competition will represent Canada in Shanghai, China.
To read his full Q&A on his experience and advice he'd give to future AME's, check out our blog, On the Radar: perimeter.ca/meet-skills-canada-gold-medalist-xin-xiang/
