Anika Jones, a third-year Auto Body Technician student, is set to be the first woman to represent NAIT at the WorldSkills Competition for car painting.
“I always liked the look of cars, never really understood the technology and the mechanics behind it, so I went into painting them,” says Jones.
WorldSkills is considered the biennial Olympics of skilled trades and includes 47 skills from baking to aircraft maintenance to graphic design.
Competitors go through multiple qualifying competitions before they’re invited to join a national team.
This will be Jones’ first time at WorldSkills, but she’s now competed twice at Skills Alberta.
But the path wasn’t straight forward. The first time she competed, she didn’t make the national team.
Photo via WorldSkills Canada
“It was challenging because the work they were doing at the shop she was at was very kind of basic entry level type stuff,” says Stephen Giordano, Jones’ paint rep and a judge at Skills Alberta. “I think her first year she competed she had a little bit of a struggle.”
But it wasn’t for a lack of trying, says Giordano. Within six months of knowing Jones, it was her “dedication to always exceed everything she did each day” that stood out. “There was always no quality that could be less than the best she could produce and she was always trying to do better and better every day,” he says.
After some convincing, Jones agreed to compete another year. She won first place at Skills Alberta for car painting and went onto nationals where she placed second. Jones was then asked to join team Canada to compete at worlds.
“I think skill level, there was obviously a little bit of an improvement, but I think the biggest thing was the confidence of knowing that she can do it,” says Giordano.
Her coach and mentor, Cecile Bukmeier, also noticed Jones’ improvement after the first competition. “She has this hunger that she came back and wanted to do a lot better than she did before.” Bukmeier was the first woman hired as an Auto Body Technician instructor at NAIT. Now, she’s the chair of the program.
“When I first came through, I was one of the only females I’d seen at all in any male-dominated industry,” said Bukmeier. “I think we still have a ways to go, but from when I started to now, there is a noticeable difference, and we are on the right path.”
Jones says she’s also felt pushback as a woman in the trades.
“When I was trying to get my practicum in the pre-employment course, I called a bunch of shops, and just a lot of them told me to f*** off,” says Jones. “It’s making me want to work like 100 per cent harder and just prove everyone wrong.”
But Jones says she’s noticed the industry changing in the few years she’s been a part of it. “It’s expanded, a lot more women are in the trade now.”
“There’s a ton of skill coming out of the women that are in the industry today,” says Giordano.
“It feels rewarding, honestly, I think it’s important for women to be seen on this global stage,” says Bukmeier. “I think it’s pretty cool to be a women’s team going as car painters to the international event.”
“She has this hunger that she came back and wanted to do a lot better than she did before.”
Bukmeier said this will be her fourth international competition as the Canadian expert. “This is similar to a trainer but the expert is also responsible for coordinating with the other countries that participate,” says Bukmeier. “We decide on things like the marking standards, criteria and we’ll also be judging at the competition.”
Though Bukmeier won’t be judging Jones, she’s excited to see her former student grow and compete. “I feel really lucky to join her on this journey.”
And Jones feels lucky to have Bukmeier as a supporter.
“She’s definitely the biggest person to play a part in this,” says Jones. “She’s just been kind of picking at me and just picking at all my mistakes, which is kind of annoying, but it’s needed.”
“[I’m] kind of scared, but I’m trying my best to learn everything I need to know and just do the best I can.”
WorldSkills will take place in September 2026 in Shanghai, China. Students can watch Jones compete on the world stage via livestream on their website.
Feature image via WorldSkills
