A Brampton technician has been crowned the winner of an international skills competition.
Tom March triumphed at Caterpillar’s first-ever Global Dealer Technician Challenge, taking the title in a competition that drew thousands of entries from around the world.
He was one of only 10 finalists to reach the grand finale, held in Las Vegas on March 3 during CONEXPO-CON/AGG, the largest construction trade show in North America.
Mr March said: “Massive amount of pride.
“We’ve put a lot of work into training and working up to this moment.
“There’s a lot of people behind me that have backed me, who have helped push me along when I’ve had moments of doubt.
“But all the hard work has paid off.”
Organised to highlight the role of dealer technicians, the competition tested practical, hands-on skills through stations focused on safety, quality, efficiency, and customer experience.
Competitors were challenged to identify the root cause of real‑world issues, diagnose repairs, and communicate solutions to customers, all under incredibly tight time constraints.
Henry Venneman, vice president of global service at Caterpillar, said: “These trained experts are on the front line of support, working to keep machines and engines up and running to help ensure our customers’ critical projects are completed.”
The competition was designed to both celebrate top technicians and serve to raise awareness about the growing demand for skilled workers in the industry.
By the end of 2028, it is estimated that Cat dealers may need to hire more than 38,000 technicians.
The challenge was designed to highlight a high-tech, high-impact and high-demand career.