Cooper Ross

Biography
In Grade 10, my architecture teacher noticed I was interested in programming and told me I should try out for the Skills competition. I was lucky to win that year, and since then, I’ve grown to really enjoy web development. It brings together so many things I love – Problem Solving, Creativity, and Math! I’m specifically interested in machine learning, both in the development process and in safe and responsible use of AI tools.

I’ve grown a lot through Skills competitions over the past three years and I’m thankful for the amazing journey so far. Representing Canada on a global stage at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 will be exciting and overwhelming. The biggest challenge will be working quickly under lots of pressure, especially without Internet access, something I rely on for bug fixing. That said, I’m mostly looking forward to meeting people from around the world and seeing how far I can push myself. It will be unforgettable!

Interesting Fact
I play soccer and hockey. I also play chess, so lately I’ve been working on a web app for analyzing games and generating reports.

Skills for Success
Problem Solving has definitely been the most important skill for me. In web development, and coding in general, especially during competitions, things rarely go well the first time. Staying calm, thinking things through and coming up with solutions quickly is an underrated skill that’s made a huge difference in my training and performance.