Derek Neary
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 08/98) - The accolades continue to pour in for mechanics student Grant Blondin.

Two weeks ago he received a $1,000 SIAST Kelsey Campus Achievement Scholarship -- the second consecutive year he's earned the award. He was also the recipient of a $700 scholarship from the Aftermarket Automotive Industry Association -- one of four people to be selected from Western Canada.

Blondin, a graduate of Sir John Franklin high school, is in his second year of the Automotive Service Technology program at Saskatoon's Kelsey College.

He said he's enjoying his training at the Kelsey Campus.

"It's a nice facility," he said, adding that there are about 26 hoists to work with.

Blondin is also having a blast in tool-slinging competitions. At the recent Kelsey Days Battle of the Mechanics, he and his two teammates reconstructed a six-cylinder Chevrolet engine and were able to get it started. It process took them seven minutes and 22 seconds, allowing them to beat 11 other teams and set a new college record.

He gets around Saskatoon in a 1985 Chevy Caprice Estate Wagon. He's had only a few problems with it, such as the ball joints. Naturally, he does his own work.

Blondin, who was previously employed as a maintenance person for a tree-planting operation, plans to return to that job this summer.

He said he plans to eventually begin working for a dealership and, ultimately, specialize in

automotive electronics.