WorldSkills Update 26.06.2009

Dear *|FNAME|*,

Editorial: By Christine Scoot, Marketing & Project Coordinator, WSI

Welcome to the WorldSkills International Update. The WorldSkills International Update is one of the many informational and promotional tools that we use to inform Members, partners, volunteers and the general public about the latest activities and initiatives happening throughout the world as part of the WorldSkills organisation.

Together we can raise the awareness and profile of
Skills throughout the world.

Proudly supported by WorldSkills Global Industry Partners

Dates & Events

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Countdown to WorldSkills Calgary 2009

WSI Media Website launched

By Michelle Bussey, Communications and Marketing Director

As the WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Competition nears, WorldSkills International (WSI) and WorldSkills Calgary 2009 are busy preparing last minute details. As part of the WorldSkills Champions on the World Stage strategy, WSI and WorldSkills Calgary 2009 are focused on ways to engage and attract media awareness to the WorldSkills Competition. To help accomplish this goal, WSI is pleased to provide an official media website for the 40th WorldSkills Competition. This is for Members, WS Calgary 2009 and all stakeholders.

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http://media.worldskills.org

Middle school children simulate WorldSkills Calgary 2009

By WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Ltd

Although 13-year-old Wesley Corwin isn’t old enough to compete in the 40th WorldSkills Competition this September, he took on the challenge of creating a woodworking project anyway.

He was one of the 100 students from 14 Calgary Board of Education junior high schools who showed off their skills at the first annual Middle Years Skills Showcase on May 29. The event featured past Skills Canada medalists sharing their experiences and serving as inspiration to up-and-coming trade and technology talent.

“I love WorldSkills so much,” said Corwin, who created a miniature wooden crane out of 95 per cent recycled material. He says his project took about a month and a half, completed without any help from his parents or teacher. “WorldSkills is so interesting, and I think there’s a lot to offer. I’m definitely going to check it out in September and I’m really looking forward to competing in five years."

The Middle Years Showcase is one more way students are becoming further connected to the Skills Movement and WorldSkills Calgary 2009, where highly-skilled, passionate Competitors go head-to-head in 45 skill categories on the international stage.

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News from WorldSkills International

Coming soon: WorldSkills Connect

WorldSkills International (WSI) will launch a new free social networking website called WorldSkills Connect in a few weeks. Individuals, groups and organisations that are focused on shaping the future of skilled trades and technologies can now use the collective network of WSI and the features of social media technology to achieve their goals.

Connect with others - Search the list of all other WorldSkills Connect contacts. Get connected with people who have same interests.

Start your own blog - Post and discuss your thoughts with other users of WorldSkills Connect.

Organise meetings in WSC2009 Calgary and in your area - WorldSkills Connect Place is meeting space open to all users of users of WorldSkills Connect and is located on the grounds of 2009 WorldSkills Competition at the Global Skills Villiage. The meeting space will be open for use during the hours of the WorldSkills Competition from September 1-6, 2009.

Ask and answer questions - Communicate with your WorldSkills Connect contacts and networks, ask and answer questions on the message board.

Create and join groups - Create groups related to your involvement in trades, technologies and service industries, invite others to join your group or search for and join other groups.

We can’t wait to share the website with all of you, so stay tuned for a launch date.

News From Around the World

Skills Belgium - National Competition

By SkillsBelgium

At the national competitions held in March of this year, SkillsBelgium selected 20 candidates from over 500 highly motivated young people who applied to take part, covering 19 different skills.

The young people, who met for the first time at a series of meetings, is now a united team working hard to prepare for the Competition in Calgary. Each young person benefits from the support of a coach who is an expert in his or her profession. With their coaches, the candidates find out more about the test project to be completed in September and practise every day in preparation.

French version

Concours nationale des metiers
Après avoir reçu plus de 500 candidatures de jeunes très motivés, SkillsBelgium a sélectionné 20 candidats dans 19 disciplines lors d’épreuves nationales qui se sont déroulées en mars dernier.

L’équipe, qui a d’abord appris à se connaître au travers de différentes rencontres, est à présent soudée et se prépare activement aux épreuves qui l’attend à Calgary. Chaque jeune bénéficie du soutien d’un coach qui est expert dans leur discipline. Avec celui-ci, le candidat découvre le projet qu’il devra réaliser en septembre et s’entraîne quotidiennement à sa réalisation.

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ColumbianSkills - SENA 2009: Columbian Talent Challenge

By Ivan H./Comunicaciones SENA, Digeneral

Along with jugglers, performers and acrobats, to the rhythm of drums and Colombian folk music, the first ever ColombianSkills began, in order to choose the best of SENA´s apprentices who will represent the country at WorldSkills Calgary 2009.

ColombianSkills is part of SENA´s leadership program that seeks the improvement of working competences and professional training standards for work at technological and technical level, and also the setting of SENA´s team of apprentices and experts who will represent Colombia at the 40th WorldSkills Competition.

The final team selection gathered 3,987 visitors at CORFERIAS, the International Centre of Businesses and Fairs in Bogotá, Colombia, to witness the best of SENA´s Colombian youth, competing for a place that would take them to the WorldSkills Competition, where they will be competing with other Member countries/regions of WorldSkills International.

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Team Sweden preparing for WorldSkills Calgary 2009

By Youth Skills Sweden

The Swedish team, nine girls and 22 boys, are preparing for WorldSkills Calgary 2009. Last weekend they had their last team meeting at Runö Conference Center outside Stockholm.

”This was the last of a total of three team meetings. The agenda proposed media training and the Competitors were interviewed and trained to speak in front of the camera. Shire Raghe, reporter and former VJ at MTV was there to coach them together with media trainers," says Anneli Palm, Swedish Team Leader.

The Competitors also received practical information about WordSkills Calgary 2009, tried on their working clothes, which they will wear when competing and carried out teambuilding activities such as sailing in the Swedish Archipelago. At previous team meetings the team has been skiing and have competed in pentathlon.

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Explore worldskills.org

This section has been added to provide you with tips for the best
utilisation of worldskills.org and other WorldSkills related websites.

Comment system on the Portal

As promised in the last WorldSkills Update, we have now built a blog/comment system on to the WorldSkills Portal.

The system can be used by anyone who wishes to leave a personal note for one of the Member country/region team members.

The blog will also be used by the students participating in the One School One Country Program, so that they can cheer on their team.

The blog is simple to use, so we would like to encourage everyone to start supporting your WorldSkills Champions!

www.worldskillsportal.com

Upcoming WorldSkills Events

Do you have events that you want to see here, send them to ellen.coppens@worldskills.org.