Media Releases
Countdown to WorldSkills Calgary 2009 kicks off with launch of new website
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 website unveiled on Parliament Hill at second annual "Skills on the Hill" event
Calgary, Alberta - Today, WorldSkills Calgary 2009 launched a new website (available at www.worldskills2009.com) during the second annual "Skills on the Hill" event on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to showcase the upcoming 2009 WorldSkills Competition in Calgary set for September 2009. The original website, which was designed three years ago and used to win the bid to host the competition in Calgary, has been revamped to provide more comprehensive information regarding:
- The Competition
- Venues
- Accommodation and transportation
- Volunteer and employment opportunities
- Media and sponsorship
- Scheduling and events
- Additional cultural and educational events
- Skills events and projects leading up to the competition
The organizing committee for WorldSkills Calgary 2009 chose this event to unveil the new website as it provides an opportunity for Canada's political leaders to learn more about the trades and the young people who are role models of excellence working in this area. It also provides a forum for them to discover ways to promote skilled trades and technologies as a rewarding career option for young Canadians. In addition to Members of Parliament and the Senate, members from Team Canada who will be representing our country at the 2007 WorldSkills Competition in Japan were also in attendance.
"Our new website offers a multi-dimensional, virtual forum to share the WorldSkills experience with people across Canada and around the world," said Kerry Moynihan, Vice-President External of the organizing committee for WorldSkills Calgary 2009. "We are very proud of this new website as we see it as presenting a powerful tool for showcasing the importance of the trades, particularly in Alberta, and recognizing those working in the field through this competition."
Available in both English and French, this website features optimized website design, an adaptive Content Management System (CMS) as well as simplified navigation and greater functionality for users.
Some of the website's unique features include:
- English and French portals
- Online polling
- Countdown clock
- E-newsletter and updates
- Volunteer and employment management section
- Accommodation management and visitor guide
- Multimedia gallery
- Media center
- Sponsors and partners section
- Search engine
Additional features will be rolled out over the coming months, including merchandise sales, online accommodation management, virtual tours and distribution of automatic alerts for feature stories and news releases.
The new WorldSkills Calgary 2009 website was funded in part by the Government of Canada and was designed and developed by Media Dog Productions Inc., a Calgary-based firm.
Backgrounder About WorldSkills Calgary 2009
- WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Ltd. is a not-for-profit organization that was established to plan and host the 40th WorldSkills Competition in September 2009.
- The competition will take place from September 1 - 7, 2009, to be held at Calgary Stampede Park.
- 900 competitors from 51 Member countries/regions (representing 20 languages) will be participating.
- The organization's mission is to engage the passion of Canada’s young people to pursue the trades and technology as viable and rewarding career options.
- Nearly 150,000 spectators and 2,500 experts, delegates and judges from around the world will attend the competition.
- It will require 80,000 square metres of space at Stampede Park.
- The competitors will be housed and fed at the first ever WorldSkills Village located at SAIT Polytechnic.
- Operating budget is $55 million.
About the WorldSkills Competition
- The first competition was held in 1950 in Madrid, Spain. Canada last hosted the WorldSkills Competition in Montréal in 1999 at the Olympic Stadium.
- Every two years, over 900 competitors from 51 Member countries/regions gather to compete in over 45 skill categories ranging from welding, cooking, autobody repair and landscape gardening to beauty care and web design.
- The competition attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors including public policy makers, government representatives, employers, teachers, trainers and experts from around the world.
The 40th WorldSkills Competition is coming to Calgary, Alberta, Canada from September 1 – 7, 2009. The organizing committee, WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Ltd., is leading the event coordination with support from WorldSkills International, Skills/Compétences Canada, and Skills Canada Alberta.
