Media Releases
150 Volunteers Prep WorldSkills Calgary 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009, Calgary, Alberta Canada - In preparation for the upcoming WorldSkills Calgary 2009 event, over 150 volunteers braved the frigid temperatures this morning to participate in a dry-run “train”sportation test, involving the City of Calgary ’s C-Train. The purpose of the test is to assess WorldSkills Calgary 2009’s plan to efficiently transfer over 900 Competitors from their accommodations at Competitor’s Village on SAIT Polytechnic campus to Stampede Park during peak times. The 40th WorldSkills Competition has a sensitive schedule and starting on-time is critical to the integrity of the four-day Competition.
It took less than 30 seconds to pack one C-Train car with the 150 participants and under 20 minutes to get them to Stampede Park. This information is especially critical to the earlier starts on the second and fourth days of Competition. “ Today’s test has been a tremendous success and reinforces the confidence we have that WorldSkills Calgary 2009 will be the most successful Competition in the 60-year history of WorldSkills International,” says WorldSkills Calgary 2009 CEO Richard Walker.
Walker adds, “ The success of today’s exercise speaks to the enthusiasm and anticipation building in our city around the 40th WorldSkills Competition. We would like to thank the volunteers, partners, and citizens who were able to take part in our event this morning.”
During the event, over 900 Competitors from 51 countries and regions will be in the city to participate in 45 skill categories during The 40th WorldSkills Competition. WorldSkills Calgary 2009 is the largest independent event ever hosted on Stampede Park and is 2/3 the size of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games.
About WorldSkills Calgary 2009
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 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, at Calgary’s Stampede Park. 900 competitors from 51 member countries/regions will compete in 45 different skills competitions. The organization's mission is to engage the passion of Canada's young people to pursue 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 800,000 square feet of space at Stampede Park. The Competitors are accommodated at the first ever Competitors' Village located at SAIT Polytechnic.
About World Skills International
WorldSkills is a not-for-profit Membership Association open to agencies or bodies who feel a responsibility to promote vocational education and training. WorldSkills is politically and denominationally neutral. It is an International competition that provides a unique means of exchange and comparison of world-class competency standards in industry trades, skills and technology of the economy. The continued growth of WorldSkills is a testimony to the fact that traditional trades, craft skills and newer technology multi-skilled vocations provides an essential and significant contribution to the economic and social well being of people world-wide. WorldSkills provides a cost effective means for international government and industry cooperation in achieving the higher standards and status of vocational education and training on a worldwide basis.
The 40th WorldSkills Competition is coming to Calgary, Alberta, Canada from September 1 – 7, 2009. The organizing committee, WorldSkills Calgary 2009, is leading the event coordination with support from WorldSkills International, Skills/Compétences Canada, and Skills Canada Alberta.
