From First Spark to National Stage: How Welding Lit a Fire for Fleming Student Shane Loranger
Earning a silver medal at the Skills Canada National Competition is an unforgettable achievement, but for Fleming College welding student Shane Loranger, the journey to the podium is what he’ll remember most. His story highlights the power of hands-on learning, dedicated mentorship, and the exceptional training offered through Fleming’s Welding and Fabrication Technician program.
A spark that changed everything
Shane didn’t plan on becoming a welder; he discovered it purely by chance.
In high school, he was headed toward a career in computer science. However, when he needed another credit, he tried a welding course. That choice changed his trajectory.
“I realized quickly, I liked welding,” he shares.
He didn’t take long to decide to swap his computer classes for welding.
When it came time to choose post-secondary education, Fleming’s Welding and Fabrication Technician program felt like the right fit. What he didn’t know was how transformative his experience inside the Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre (KTTC) would become.
A competitive fire reignites
In his first year at Fleming, an in-class welding challenge determined which two students would compete at the 2024 Skills Ontario Competition. Shane tied for second place but lost the spot on a coin flip.
That moment lit his competitive nature.
A former football player, Shane recognized the familiar drive to push himself beyond his limits.
“When I played football, I loved seeing how far I could push myself. Competing in welding felt the same. It was a chance to prove what I could do if I put my mind to it.”
And he proved it.
In 2025, not only did Shane earn a spot to compete at the Skills Ontario Competition, he won gold — securing his place at the Skills Canada National Competition in Regina, Saskatchewan two weeks later.
Practice makes perfect . . . and medals
Shane’s preparation for the competitions was rooted in one core belief: practice!
He took time off work to practice, often spending up to 14 hours a day in Fleming’s state-of-the-art welding shop.
“The key to welding is putting in the hours,” he says. “There’s no shortcut.”
Much of his focus was on mastering Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) — a process using a continuously fed wire electrode and shielding gas. It was where he saw the most skill development, skills that gave him a strong competitive edge.
Fleming’s hands-on learning environment gave Shane the space and support to refine skills with top industry equipment, expert feedback and endless practice opportunities.
Success on the national stage
For Shane, the two-day national competition still feels like a blur — a fast-paced blend of pressure, precision, and adrenaline.
On day one, Shane had to build a pressurized project with carbon steel. The welds were to be consistent and clean but also capable of holding an incredible pressure of around 900 PSI — about 25 times the pressure of a car tire!
On day two, Shane had to showcase his skills using stainless steel and aluminum. He faced a hurdle when the aluminum was a different grade than he was used to.
“It was finicky to work with,” he says. “It threw me out of my zone for a bit.”’
But he adapted and delivered.
Shane’s strong performance earned him the silver medal on the national stage.
Standing on the podium, Shane remembers thinking two things:
- My hard work paid off.
- Darryl gets his banner! (A nod to his professor’s long-standing hope to add a Skills Canada banner in the KTTC).
Beyond the award, Shane says the best part of the competition was meeting peers who shared his level of passion for trades.
“A group of us still chat every week,” he says.
Mentorship that made the difference
Shane credits much of his skills growth and success to Fleming’s faculty and staff, especially Professor Darryl Madussi, Welding Technologists Darren Cavanaugh and Aaron Foote, and Apprenticeship Officer Patti-Lynn Davis.
Darryl, Darren, and Aaron invested countless hours in the shop with him — offering expert knowledge, technical guidance, preparing practice materials, and sharing their passion for welding.
“We could talk shop all day,” says Shane.
Combined with Patti-Lynn’s encouragement and strong organizational leadership, Shane felt fully prepared and confident for the provincial and national stages.
“The Fleming staff . . . without them, I’d be in a very different place today,” he says.
A career start amped by high-level skills and passion
Shane believes his gold and silver medal achievements opened doors — including an opportunity with CIMCO, a company specializing in high-pressure piping for industrial refrigeration systems. He now proudly works with their team and recently helped build a rink cooling system for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“When you have a passion for something, it doesn’t feel like work,” he says. “It feels more like a hobby.”
Shane’s advice for future welding students
Shane shares three pieces of advice for anyone considering the Welding and Fabrication or Welding Techniques programs at Fleming:
1. Be honest about your work.
“If you can look at your own welds, see the details, and critique them honestly, you’ll become a better welder. He admits he started welding with shaky hands but practicing honest self-evaluation helped him improve.
2. Build your confidence.
A skilled welder must see a problem and ask, how do I fix it? Confidence fuels problem-solving and growth.
3. Believe you can do it.
“I’m not someone with a special talent doing something impossible. You just need to put in the practice time and be passionate about it. I was a terrible welder at the start, but I practiced, listened to the experts, and made it work.”
A journey forged in passion and practice
From discovering welding in high school to winning provincial and national medals to launching a rewarding career, Shane’s story shows what’s possible when passion meets commitment and practice — and when as student is supported by skilled mentors in an exceptional learning environment like Fleming, you can be unstoppable!
Learn more about the Welding and Fabrication or Welding Techniques programs at Fleming College.
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