Sy Korf knows his way around vehicles.
The 16-year-old A.L. Fortune Secondary School student in Enderby has just proven to be the best high school autobody repair student in B.C. and Canada.
Korf can do section repairs to a vehicle. He can change a door skin on a car. He can change the tires, the oil. He can weld. He can fix dents.
He just can't drive a vehicle by himself yet.
"I've got my L," chuckled Korf. "I can go for my N and full licence in December."
Korf, who is just finishing Grade 11, won gold at the Skills Compétences Canada Autobody Repair competition in Regina May 28-31. This came after he led a Fortune sweep of the top-three spots in the provincial competition in Abbotsford. His older brother, Zak, won silver, and friend and classmate Jon Wall captured bronze.
Skills Canada is divided into two levels – post secondary/apprentice and high school. In autobody repair, competitors are assigned a number of different tasks they must complete over the two days of competition.
“Going into the competition I wasn’t too sure how I would do," said Korf. "I wasn’t sure if some other school might have a gnarly autobody shop, but by the end of the first day you could tell who was there to compete.
"I felt it was between me, Manitoba, and Ontario, and by the end of the second day I was feeling pretty confident. I felt like I had come first or second."
Korf won gold, Manitoba took silver, and the competitor from Ontario won bronze. If the post secondary/apprentice gold medal winner is unable to attend the World competition in Shanghai, China in September 2026, Korf will be eligible to compete.
The autobody competitors had six hours to fix a B pillar (the vertical structural support on a car, located between the front and rear doors), three hours to replace a door skin, one hour to do an aluminum welding challenge, one hour for a measurement challenge, and one hour to fix an aluminum dent.
Competitors were required to bring their own tools. During the competition, no communication with coaches or others was allowed. Some tasks were unfamiliar, but Korf adapted quickly. He and Fortune teacher Jason Inkster spent late-night cramming sessions at the hotel conference room, joined by Okanagan College instructor Andreas Roth and other Team BC paint and autobody competitors.
When he started the competition Korf didn’t have time to be nervous or to make errors as there was lots to accomplish.
“I was dialed in,” he said.
Inkster, on the other hand...
“I paced like a caged lion in anticipation for Sy’s event,” he confessed.
Korf's interest in working on vehicles took off in Grade 9.
Fortune, he said, is the only school that offers autobody, something he grew up with, and started doing autobody work at school, as well working on his own projects at home.
In Grade 10, Korf took a dual credit program with Vancouver Community College (VCC), getting a Level One certification in paint and autobody repair.
This year, Inkster encouraged him to enter the Skills BC competition. Inkster accompanied Korf to the nationals in Regina.
"Sy was an amazing ambassador for A.L. Fortune, and for his obvious work to be ready for the national finals," said Inkster. "Hours and hours of preparation for a moment in the spotlight. The nationals were 100 per cent mind-blowing. There was such incredible talent displayed by high school students across more than 40 skilled trades."
Korf gave a shout-out to those who helped him earn the gold, including his dad, Kordel Korf – "my dad has always been supportive," said Korf – neighbour Glenn Boyce, Inkster, Roth, and VCC instructors Robin Popow and Keith Mew.
Asked if autobody was going to be the focus of his future, Korf said he would probably get his Red Seal ticket, but he wanted to keep his options open. Winning a provincial and national trades title is something impressive to show prospective employers.
"It's a good thing to have on a resumé," said the down-to-earth Korf of his two wins in 2025. "I don't like to be too cocky about it."
