2005 News Releases
May 20, 2005MLA to attend 2005 WorldSkills competition
Edmonton... Calgary-Egmont MLA Denis Herard will travel to Helsinki, Finland, on May 24 to represent Advanced Education and Technology Minister Dave Hancock at the 2005 WorldSkills Competition.
The competition brings together young people from around the world and gives them the opportunity to exhibit their talents and skills in trades and technologies. Competitors will also have the opportunity to compare and exchange knowledge with their peers. Alberta will send six competitors to Helsinki, who will demonstrate their skills in automobile technology, bricklaying, cabinet making, IT PC/network support, IT/software applications, and welding.
"Government is taking action to raise awareness about apprenticeship and the trades among Albertans, so that we can meet current and future demands for skilled workers," said Advanced Education and Technology Minister Dave Hancock. "This competition furthers our efforts and will be a great lead-up to WorldSkills 2009 in Calgary, where Alberta will get to showcase our best and brightest to the world and get more young people looking at careers in these rewarding fields."
While in Helsinki, Herard will participate in the WorldSkills Leaders Forum. The forum will address a number of themes, including the challenges of the global marketplace; strategies for ensuring the right people, with the right skills at the right time; and helping learners make the transition from school to work.
"WorldSkills competitions are an excellent opportunity for youth, parents, educators and industry to get a taste for the global opportunities that exist in the trades and technologies," said Herard. "I am pleased to represent Alberta in preparation for the 2009 WorldSkills Competition, and to promote our province's world-class Advanced Education and Technology system and the high-quality professionals it produces."
The WorldSkills Competition is the only event of its kind in the world. Every two years competitors from over 40 countries gather to compete in more than 40 trade and technology areas. The last event, held in St. Gallen, Switzerland, in June 2003, brought together more than 700 competitors, 500 advisors and 180,000 spectators for four days of intense competition.
The 2009 WorldSkills Competition in Calgary will bring international attention to the province and showcase Alberta talent. Herard's participation in the Helsinki competition will provide first-hand experience and knowledge that will be valuable in planning for the 2009 WorldSkills Competition, towards which the Government of Alberta has committed $6.1 million.
The cost for Herard's trip is estimated to be $9,000. The return date for the trip is May 31.
Backgrounder
General information
WorldSkills competitions are held every two years. The first WorldSkills competition was held in Madrid, Spain, in 1950. Canada last hosted the competition in 1999 in Montreal. High-achieving youth in the trade and technology fields compete in different categories. Examples of events include automobile technology, machining, sheet metal work, electrical and culinary arts. Competitors showcase their expertise and are judged on quality, speed, efficiency and functionality. For more information on WorldSkills competitions, please visit www.worldskills.org.
Alberta's apprenticeship and industry training system is an industry-driven system that ensures a highly skilled, internationally competitive workforce in more than 50 designated trades and occupations. There are approximately 40,000 registered apprentices in Alberta - an 87 per cent increase since 1995. Alberta trains about 20 per cent of Canada's apprentices, yet has only 10 per cent of Canada's total population.
Itinerary
| Dates | Event |
| Tuesday, May 24 |
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| Wednesday, May 25 |
|
| Thursday, May 26 |
|
| Friday, May 27 to Monday, May 30 |
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| Tuesday, May 31 |
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*This itinerary is subject to change.
