This Falcon's got the skills to bring home the gold

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: FANSHAWE COLLEGE
Becky DeKleyn brought home gold from Vancouver in June with her innovative designs for a new fire hall.

Following up her gold medal victory at the Ontario Trade Skills Competition in May, Fanshawe College's Becky DeKleyn has added to her own personal trophy case with her biggest prize yet, a gold medal at the Skills Canada National Competition in June. This is the second national award that DeKleyn has brought back to the Architectural Design and Technology program, upgrading on her bronze medal finish in the past year's competition, and her third award for her architectural work overall.

This year's competition was held in Vancouver, giving DeKleyn and her fellow competitors a total of 12 hours over two days of competition to design a new fire hall for the city, including a set of working drawings that could be used to build the theoretical building. The students were critiqued on their efficiency, creativity, level of skill, and adherence to local building codes and regulations, among other criteria. The buildings were designed using Revit, a 3D modelling program that is rapidly replacing AutoCAD as the fundamental tool for building designers.

DeKleyn was thrilled with her win and said it reflects the high-quality training she received at Fanshawe. “Talking with other competitors, it became clear we really do have the best program in the country,” she said, crediting the wealth and diversity of experience that the Architectural Technology educators offer their students.

She also credited her prior appearance at the competition as beneficial to her successful run this year. “Last year I was the youngest in my category and felt a bit intimidated competing with all these mid-20-year-olds,” she said. “But it was a fantastic experience, and I used my notes to study for this year's competition.” Her work also earned her the Best in Region award, symbolizing that her work won by the highest margin over the nearest competitor.

Program coordinator Gary Gerard has been working with DeKleyn since January in an effort to see her reach this point, with the student often putting in additional hours of study to prepare. “It's a big commitment, but it's put us head and shoulders above most others,” he said.

Now graduated, DeKleyn has already been hired in a full-time capacity by Nicholson, Sheffield Architects Inc., a local firm with whom she served a four-month coop.

Vertha Coligan, dean of the Faculty of Technology, was pleased with DeKleyn's achievements. “In the Faculty of Technology,we would like to offer Becky our warmest congratulations on her significant achievement at National Skills, Becky is an inspiration to all of us who value the power of commitment to one's goals and I am confident that Becky's talents will serve her well throughout her career.”