From student to teacher: Professor’s passion for skilled trades comes full circle at Georgian
April 17, 2025
A high school shop class in Orangeville, Ontario was the place of inspiration and where a lifelong passion for the skilled trades began for Brett Austin, a skilled trades professor at Georgian.
The class was well-equipped with manual mills, lathes and grinders, and even some small CNC (computer numerical control) machines. Brett remembers being taught by a great teacher who had a hands-off approach, allowing students to choose their own projects and explore their creative side. When it came time to decide what his next steps would be after high school, Brett was certain his future career awaited him in the skilled trades.
Walking the halls as a Georgian student to starting a career
Brett enrolled in a pre-apprenticeship Tool and Die Technician program (now called Machine Shop – Tool and Die) at Georgian in 2002. He immediately thrived in his studies and in the Georgian community, becoming an honour roll student and the program’s ambassador where he worked with high school outreach initiatives to tell young students about skilled trades. The program exposed Brett to higher level theory and applications for CNC equipment, inspiring him to re-enroll in a CNC program at Georgian. Because of his expertise and high level of skill, Brett was introduced to an employer where he began an apprenticeship as a Tool and Die Maker, achieving his Red Seal Certification in 2008.
My student experience was so important and pivotal for my life. It’s the reason I moved to and am now raising a family in the Barrie area more than 20 years later. I was slightly out of place in high school and found my zone while at college. My journey through and passion for creating things has continually grown with my skill set and knowledge of what is or could be possible.
After graduating, Brett continued working for the same company where he completed his apprenticeship, working in several areas including programming, set up, operation, quoting and process improvements for 15 years. As one of few licensed toolmakers who completed the bulk of their apprenticeship operating primarily manual equipment, Brett has seen it all.
Computer and material sciences have seen exponential growth within the span of my career. Software, hardware, cutting tools, equipment and manufacturing processes have all evolved rapidly creating exciting opportunities all over the industry.
Throughout his career, Brett says his areas of expertise have changed as his experience grew. He initially showed talent through raw skills in math, mechanical aptitude and a natural interest in learning and creating things. Early on as a young employee, he discovered attitude, punctuality, integrity and responding to feedback became integral. As a current leader in a shop and teaching environment, he believes technical ability combined with soft skills is the perfect combination for a successful career in the trades.
Championing student success in the classroom and on the world stage
In 2017, Brett started working at Georgian as a part-time instructor for the Mechanical Technician – Precision Skills and Mechanical Engineering Technology programs, teaching in the evenings while also balancing a full-time industrial role. That same year, he began volunteering as a trainer for students competing in the Skills Ontario competition in the CNC Milling and Turning category.
Every year since, he’s been a trainer for students in the Skills competitions, and Georgian has either won gold or placed on the podium under his mentorship. In 2023/2024, a student who Brett mentored not only won gold at the Skills Ontario competition, but also the national Skills Canada competition and represented Canada at WorldSkills in France. In 2025, Brett will be acting as Co-chair for Georgian at Skills Ontario and will be designing parts of the competition, overseeing the technical aspects and organizing donations with industry partners.
Since 2023, Brett has been a full-time instructor at Georgian and is grateful to have more time to focus on teaching and helping students achieve success in their trades. He’s also been a contributor for curriculum development for the Mechanical Technician – Precision Skills program, written lab manuals and designed projects to update the course outlines.
It’s completely surreal and I feel very lucky to have been part of Georgian as a student and as faculty. The person who was the program coordinator when I attended my first Open House as a 17-year-old was my assigned faculty mentor in my first year of employment. I’ve seen the expansion of the campus and I’ve had peers become friends, colleagues and mentors. The opportunity to participate and give back in that support system for students is something that’s very important to me.
‘Mentorship and comradery’ re-ignites passion for trades
Brett’s favourite part about working in the trades is the mentorship and comradery between people in the industry. “We all have interest in improving and passing on skills, and to see the learners who are entering the trade prosper” he says. “Working with Georgian students puts me back into the initial, excited optimistic bright mindset where everything is new, exciting broad and full of possibility. Seeing students mature during their studies and begin to network as professionals is something that’s special to be a part of.”
Reflecting on his journey, Brett’s biggest piece of advice for future trades professionals is to get interested and apply yourself. Despite encouragement from his high school guidance counsellor to become a mechanical engineer, Brett started his studies as a manual machinist, and now enjoys a rewarding, fulfilling career full of exciting opportunities.
You need to get interested. Spend time touring open houses, trade shows, expositions and don’t turn down an opportunity to network. Technology is exciting and impactful to everyone. Ask all the questions you can think of, don’t hold back, those cheering you on like your faculty at this school will be eager to answer. Don’t be timid to apply yourself – your career will be long and full of opportunity for change.
Building the next generation of skilled trades professionals at Georgian
Georgian recently unveiled plans to expand its Centre for Skilled Trades at the Barrie Campus – transforming the existing space to help sustain and grow the highly skilled trades workforce this region needs for a strong, sustainable and green future. Canada’s labour market is predicted to maintain a critical shortage of skilled trades workers with more than 700,000 skilled trades workers retiring by 2028.
Having worked and taught in the industry for years, Brett says the opportunity to enter and advance in the trades has never been more present than now – 1 in 6 job openings will be in skilled trades by 2026. Employers have responded to changing workforce needs and have introduced higher standards, including enhanced salary and benefits, flexible work schedules (including remote opportunities), cleaner facilities, and more.
Georgian College has among the highest reputations of all Canadian colleges for diploma and apprenticeship training, including Red Seal trades in manufacturing. Our lab spaces are state-of-the-art, modern and well-provisioned, and our faculty and support staff are truly second to none.