Media Releases
New sponsors help to transform Stampede Park for WorldSkills Calgary 2009
August 12, 2009- WorldSkills Calgary 2009 is entering the final preparation stage for the 40th WorldSkills Competition. Today, the set up of Stampede Park begins. A major logistical operation will unfold over the next 20 days, as staff and volunteers complete production set up by the time the 40th WorldSkills Competition starts on September 1, 2009. With the help of the Official Suppliers and Official Sponsors of WorldSkills Calgary 2009 with over 700,000 items will arrive at Stampede Park, including:
• 40 dump truck loads of landscaping material
• 24 CNC (computer numerical controlled) machines
• Seven 53-foot trailers of cooking appliances
• 20 53-foot trailer loads of information technology gear
• 43 km of computer cable
• 860 computers
• 120 laptops
"WorldSkills Calgary 2009 has been in the planning stages since 2005. The Competition starts in under three weeks and we will finally be able to premiere the results of strategic preparation, proactive teamwork and great support from sponsors," says Richard Walker, President and CEO of WorldSkills Calgary 2009. "We are proud to welcome the world and invite spectators to live the skilled life from September 1 to 7."
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 will showcase innovative programs and services that will create many "firsts" for the WorldSkills Competition. Some of these "firsts" include:
• Skill City presented by the Calgary Herald featuring Try-A-Skill activities, which is the first comprehensive hands-on
interactive program at a WorldSkills Competition.
• Welcome/orientation structures called Shell Launch Pads welcome all students to the event and educate them regarding all that there is to see and do.
•The first single-site Competitors' Village in WorldSkills History, which will create a global village for 900 Competitors and Team Leaders at SAIT Polytechnic.
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 also proudly announces the following organizations as Gold Sponsors of the competition, with recognition as either Official Sponsors or Official Suppliers throughout the Competition:
• 3M,
• Nexen,
• Air Canada,
• Fluke,
• Fluke Networks,
• Husqvarna,
• McAfee Canada,
• Mitutoyo,
• Hunter Engineering,
• Altium,
• Rational Canada,
• Nederman and
• Sandvik Coromant
Official Suppliers providing essential equipment include:
• Hunter (Automobile Technology),
• Mitutoyo and Sandvik (CNC Milling/Turning),
• Fluke (Electrical Installations),
• Fluke Networks and
• McAfee Canada (IT/PC Network Support),
• Altium (Electronics),
• Rational (Cooking),
• Nederman (Welding) and
• Husqvarna (Landscape Gardening).
Official Sponsors include Nexen, who is sponsoring the Mechanical Engineering Design competition and Air Canada, the Official Sponsor of the Aircraft Maintenance competition.
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, Calgary officially won the right to host the WorldSkills Competition. The successful bid was made possible through collaboration with WorldSkills International's Canadian Member organization Skills/Compétences Canada and industry, educational institutions, government and the City of Calgary. WorldSkills Calgary 2009, a not-for-profit corporation is responsible for the planning, execution and legacy for the 40th WorldSkills Competition.
For the past five 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 technologies.
Backgrounder: WorldSkills 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.
worldskills.orgSkills/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 skills, trades, and technologies competitions through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skills, trades, and technologies 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.
skillscanada.comWorldSkills Calgary 2009
Alesia FieldbergMedia Relations Coordinator
Direct Line: 01 403 774 5138
Mobile: 01 403 818 6160
Email: alesia.fieldberg@worldskills2009.com
Website: http://www.worldskills2009.com
Skills/Compétences
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: http://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: http://www.worldskills.org/
More information is available at www.worldskills2009.com.