Media Releases
Cisco Announced as a Global Founding Sponsor to WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Ltd.
June 15, 2009, Calgary, Alberta, Canada - With less than 80 days until the largest independent event ever hosted on Calgary's Stampede Park, WorldSkills Calgary 2009 proudly announces Cisco as a Global Founding Sponsor. Cisco® hardware, software, and service offerings are used to create Internet solutions that make networks possible, providing easy access to information anywhere, at any time. As an industry leader, Cisco is the ideal match for WorldSkills Calgary 2009, which is this year's host of the WorldSkills Competition that determines global champions in 45 skill categories.
In preparation and during the four-day Competition, equipment and network solutions supplied by Cisco provides WorldSkills Calgary 2009 with a highly secure, accessible, user-friendly infrastructure. Furthermore, Cisco is sponsoring the core equipment requirements of the IT / PC Network Support Competition. Cisco continually supports WorldSkills International in their many events and projects as a Global Industry Partner.
"Cisco's ability to provide a high performance, wireless infrastructure to an event of this magnitude will demonstrate viable planning structures for future WorldSkills Competitions," says WorldSkills Calgary 2009 President and CEO Richard Walker.
"Skills development is crucial to the future success of the IT industry, and all businesses which rely on technology," said Rosanna Bisges, senior manager of the Cisco Networking Academy® in the United States and Canada. "Education is a central focus for Cisco and we are pleased to support WorldSkills Calgary 2009, the foremost forum for demonstrating student leadership."
The 40th WorldSkills Competition will see over 900 Competitors from 51 Member countries/regions vying for international recognition of being the elite in their field. This year's Competition begins with an Opening Ceremony on September 1, 2009 followed by four-days of intense competition, a Closing Ceremony on September 6, 2009 and concludes with an impressive halftime show on September 7, 2009 at the Labour Day Classic football game.
Contact SheetWorldSkills Calgary 2009
Alesia Fieldberg
Media Relations Coordinator
Direct Line: 01 403 774 5138
Mobile: 01 403 818 6160
Email: alesia.fieldberg@worldskills2009.com
Website: www.worldskills2009.com
Skills/Compétences Canada
Christianne Scholfield
Director Pan-Canadian Partnership Development
Direct Line: 01 819 771 7545 ext. 1
Fax: 01 819 771 5575
Toll Free: 1 877 754 5226
Website: www.skillscanada.com
WorldSkills International
Michelle Bussey
Secretariat - Communications and Marketing Director
Direct Line: +1 902 450 5412
Fax: +31 23 531 0816
Mobile: +1 902 441 7041
Email: michelle.bussey@worldskills.org
Website: www.worldskills.org
Cisco Canada
Karin Scott
PR Director
Direct Line: + 416 306 7164
E-mail: kariscot@cisco.com
Backgrounder
WorldSkills Calgary 2009
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 marks the second time Canada hosts this international event in its 59-year history. In May 2004, at the WorldSkills General Assembly in Hong Kong, Canada officially won the right to host the WorldSkills Competition. The successful bid was made possible through collaboration with Skills Canada Alberta and Skills/Compétences Canada. Shortly thereafter, WorldSkills Calgary 2009, a not-for-profit organization, was established.
For the past 5 years, WorldSkills Calgary 2009 has been working closely with legacy, government, and industry partners to make the 40th WorldSkills Competition the most successful to date. Although the event is held from September 1 - 7, 2009, WorldSkills Calgary 2009 has been working with legacy partners to actively help the global skills movement that addresses labour shortage, competency standards, and education programs designed to motivate and encourage young adults to explore successful career options in skills, trades, and technology.
BackgrounderWorldSkills International
WorldSkills International's (WSI) mission is to promote, through the cooperative action of 51 Members countries/regions, a worldwide awareness of the essential contribution that skills and high standards of competence make to the achievement of economic success and personal fulfillment. WSI provides a unique means of exchange and comparison of world-class competency standards in the industrial trades, information technologies and service sectors of the global economy. WSI works at all levels from grassroots to senior policy makers to affect change in training procedures, policy development and international standards. Through advocacy, education and Competitions, WorldSkills International is raising the level of competences throughout the world and bringing new awareness to these crucial sectors in the global economy. Without skills there is no economy.
BackgrounderSkills/Compétences Canada
Skills/Compétences Canada (S/CC) was founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization to actively promote careers in skilled trades and technologies to Canadian youth. S/CC works with private and public sector partners to help secure Canada's future skilled labour needs while helping Canadian youth discover rewarding careers. S/CC offers experiential learning opportunities for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians including skilled trades and technology competitions through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trades and technology awareness programs. Headquartered in Canada's National Capital Region Skills/Compétences Canada is the Canadian Member organization of WorldSkills International and in partnership with other stakeholders created the 40th WorldSkills Competition event organizing committee WorldSkills Calgary 2009.
