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27th May 2005 The former competitors are also participating WorldSkills 2005 Helsinki has employed some of the former competitors. Ms Eve Korkala competed in Beauty Therapy in St. Gallen in 2003 and now she is coaching this year’s competitor Ms Ilona Väätänen and working as a guide in Beauty Therapy skill in Helsinki Fair Centre. Mr Ville Pyykönen has also been enlisted as a guide through the old competitors’ association WorldSkills Club. He competed in cooking skill in Montreal in 1999. The opening ceremony touched both former competitors as it reminded of their own competition experiences. “The opening ceremony in St. Gallen was the night to remember. It was an awesome feeling to march to the field under the Finnish flag,” reminisces Ms Eve Korkala. Ms Korkala explains that she has benefited a lot from her competition experience. In addition to increased expertise and self-confidence she has gained a permanent workplace at Hair- and Beauty Centre Oppivat Kädet, where she also did her training. “I have been very satisfied with my participation in the competition.” The representative of Restaurant Palace Gourmet Mr Ville Pyykönen believes that in the training it is possible to improve and refine skills that are not included in the normal vocational curriculum. During the last years there have been bigger investments towards creating a better team spirit than when Mr Pyykönen competed. He believes it is great to have had more team camps with a more versatile programme. Also the improvement in the coaching of the Cooking skill receives praises from him. “When I trained for the Montreal competition, what was left unnoticed was the use of Canadian Fahrenheit ovens and so I had to learn them at location during the evenings,” laughed Mr Pyykönen. Neither of the former competitors had to be forced into working at the Helsinki Fair Centre. The arrangements have been successful and participation in a big event fascinated them. “This weekend I have finally got the whole picture of the magnitude of these competitions. The time I had in Montreal went to concentrating to my own competition,” explains Mr Pyykönen. Text: Henna-Riikka Savolainen ja Heli Ritola
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