Nov 9, 2023
Nicole LeClair is an accomplished Red Seal welder, engineering technologist, inspector and post-secondary educator with a passion for skilled trade education. In 2019, she established the Nicole LeClair Welding Bursary Award to help welding students in post-secondary institutions across Ontario, Canada. This award is supported by LeClair’s personal funds and other charitable donations.
The following submissions were written by Nicole herself as she explains why each winner was selected.
Serena Nicolai, Conestoga College (Kitchener, ON)
Meet Serena! She is a student at Conestoga College, entering her second year of a three-year Welding Engineering Technology program, with a focus on Welding Inspection. She’s always interested in learning the ‘why and how’ of welding theory to learn what makes a sound weld. Seems like inspection will be a perfect fit for her, especially after her experience at a fabrication shop that specialized in pipeline work (oil and gas) where she worked with inspectors doing hydrostatic tests and visual inspection. Some readers might not understand that there are many types of both destructive and non-destructive weld testing. Serena will cover them all in this program and will surely find her niche in the industry. I also graduated from Conestoga’s three-year program (well over 20 years ago) and can vouch that their program is amazing. I must be getting old because some old classmates are now teaching there. You’re in good hands, Serena – I wish you all the best as you enter this final stretch of formal training. I love seeing young welders in it with all their hearts!
Jeremy Vienneau, Cambrian College (Sudbury, ON)
Jeremy is someone who discovered welding as a ‘happy accident’ in grade 11 when welding was the only elective class that fit into his high school course schedule. With the encouragement of his father to take the class, he learned quickly that welding was something he loved and wanted to pursue at the college level. He is now enrolled in Cambrian College’s two-year Welding & Fabrication Technician program in Sudbury, currently in his second year. He holds a 4.0 GPA from his first two semesters and is currently in the President’s Honour Role.
He plays hockey and coaches young hockey goalies when he isn’t welding. Good luck, Jeremy, in this amazing program. I went to Cambrian College too (just a few years ago), and I hope you have as much fun there as I did. It was memorable because I still remember my booth number was 18. If you happen to be assigned that booth, there’s likely some good juju there to pass along, ha-ha. Cambrian College graduates are well-trained students, and I have no doubt you’ll be at the top of your class. Weld on!
Rachel Rock, Georgian College (Midland, ON)
Everybody meet Rachel. She’ll be attending Georgian College’s one-year Welding Techniques program. She was first exposed to the trade when her dad got into welding metal art as a hobby. She became curious and tried it out, becoming hooked. Like myself, she enjoys working with her hands and creating something tangible. I can relate a lot to her story because I didn’t know what I wanted to do right out of high school and felt misguided and stuck. Discovering one’s path and finding what makes one truly passionate is memorable. It makes me think of the expression, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; Working hard for something we love is called passion.”
Rachel and I also share the love of driving our standard trucks. In today’s world, manual transmissions are a built-in, anti-theft feature.
I wish you all the best as you enter what I know will be a program you’ll love and excel in. Keep striving, persisting and being in it with all your heart.
Justin Halliday, Durham College (Whitby, ON)
Justin is entering his second year in the two-year Welding Engineering Technician program at Durham College in Whitby. Having previously taken a Trade Fundamentals course, he was able to identify welding as his favourite of all the trades he tried. I might be biased, but I don’t blame you, Justin. Welding is a versatile and transferrable skill that will serve you well. I wish you all the best as you enter your formal training in this amazing trade.