Skills/Compétences Canada: Spotlight shines on British Columbia as it prepares to host the 2013 Skills Canada National Competition

OTTAWA, Oct. 19, 2012 /CNW/ - Skills/Compétences Canada today announced that Canada's best skilled trade and technology students, representing all provinces and territories, along with industry experts, trainers and educators, will gather in Vancouver  from June 5 - 8, 2013 for the Skills Canada National Competition. More than 500 students are expected to participate in the event, which will feature at least 40 skilled trade competitions ranging from carpentry and mobile robotics to welding, aircraft maintenance and fashion design.

The annual Competition brings together Canada's best and brightest skilled trade students, where they are tested against exacting industry standards configured by a National Technical Committee comprised of skilled trade and technology experts from industry and education.

"We are pleased to announce today that the 2013 Skills Canada National Competition will take place in Vancouver, British Columbia", said Donavon Elliott, President of Skills/Compétences Canada. "This annual event is one of the major initiatives that we organize to raise awareness of the tremendous opportunities for young people who choose career paths in skilled trades and technology. With ongoing support from the Government of Canada, industry leaders and educators, the Skills Canada National Competition is the only event of its kind for these young people to showcase their talent while competing for prestigious awards that can propel their career forward."

In addition to the Competition, the event offers an opportunity for 10,000 visiting students and young career-seekers to take part in interactive Try-A-Trade® and Technology Demonstrations.  Activities cover a broad range of skills from designing a home using the latest architectural software to the culinary art of carving vegetables.

"In British Columbia, it is estimated that there will be one million job openings by 2020 with 43% requiring specialized skills training", said Amber Papou, Executive Director of Skills Canada British Columbia. "Considering that many skilled trade workers will be retiring within the next 20 years, a more alarming statistic indicates that only one quarter of young people aged 13 to 24 plan to consider a career in the skilled trades. Hosting the 2013 Skills Canada National Competition will provide thousands of BC youth with the opportunity to explore a multitude of skilled trade and technology career possibilities that they may never have considered otherwise."

The Skills Canada National Competition brings together industry, educators and other stakeholders to provide young people, such as Caitlin Mayo, former provincial, national and WorldSkills competitor, and the current owner of Sugar Patisserie in Surrey BC, with the resources that they need to move toward a career in the skilled trades/technologies:

"Training for a skills competition is one of the best ways a student can master their skill," says Caitlin Mayo. "In my experience, participating in the skills competitions gave me invaluable experience while allowing me to learn new elements of my craft that I use in my business today."

About Skills Canada British Columbia
Skills Canada British Columbia (Skills BC) is a proactive non-profit organization that partners with government, educators, private industry and labour to promote and celebrate the skilled trades & technologies as first choice career opportunities for young people across the province. As a means of helping to offset current and pending labour shortages in skilled labour in the province, Skills BC offers positive and exciting hands-on experiences to thousands of students annually. For more information please visit www.skillscanada.bc.ca.

About Skills/Compétences Canada
Skills/Compétences Canada was founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization that works with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trades and technology careers among Canadian youth. Its unique position among private and public sector partners enables it to work toward securing Canada's future skilled labour needs while helping young people and aspiring apprentices discover rewarding careers. Skills/Compétences Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trades and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trade awareness programs. Many programs highlight digital and essential skills, which are crucial qualifications in most careers of today.  Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Skills/Compétences Canada is the Canadian Member organization of WorldSkills International. For more information about Skills/Compétences Canada visit www.skillscanada.com, or call 877-754-5226.

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SOURCE: SKILLS/COMPETENCES CANADA

Media Contacts:
Caroline McGrath
CMM Communications Group (for Skills/Compétences Canada)
Tel: [phone]
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