Skills/Compétences Canada to Host Industrial Mechanics for 2022 WorldSkills Competition Special Edition

OTTAWA, July 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skills/Compétences Canada, the Canadian Member Organization of WorldSkills, is proud to announce that it has been selected to host the Industrial Mechanics competition for the 2022 WorldSkills Competition Special Edition. This will be held at the Sheridan College, at the Davis campus, in Brampton, Ontario, from October 18 to 20, 2022 and will include 9 competitors representing 9 countries/regions. This is the only competition that will be hosted in Canada. Industrial Mechanics was first introduced in 2015 by Craig Brazil, who was the Canadian Chief Expert for this Skill Area at the WorldSkills Competition.

"We are very pleased that Canada was selected as the host for this Skill Area for the 2022 WorldSkills Competition Special Edition. The WorldSkills Competition is a great way to inspire youth from around the world to pursue a career in the skilled trades and technologies. As we work through the post pandemic recovery, finding skilled tradespeople is more critical than ever," said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer, Skills/Compétences Canada.

The 46th WorldSkills Competition was initially scheduled to be hosted in Shanghai, in October 2022 however due to the Covid-19 pandemic, WorldSkills International announced earlier this year that instead of hosting it in one location, it will be held in more than 20 cities, in 15 countries, over a period of six weeks. The 2022 WorldSkills Competition Special Edition will include 60 Skill Areas, and 1,100 competitors from around the globe who will be vying for the title of international champion. In order to represent Canada at the WorldSkills Competition, competitors must win the right through national level competitions.  

Canada will be participating in a total of 27 skill areas that are being hosted in 11 countries. Canada's team of participants won the right to represent Canada at the 2022 Skills Canada National Competition that was hosted this past May in Vancouver at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

"When a young person learns how to weld or how to cook, they can become indispensable to their workplace. They're empowered, and able to have a job, or a career, that will support them and their families. That's why the work that Skills Canada does is so invaluable, and why events like the WorldSkills Competition are so important to our future," said the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion.

The WorldSkills Competition, which is typically held every two years, is the world's largest professional education event and represents the gold standard of excellence in skilled trades and technologies. The WorldSkills Competition inspires young competitors to reach new heights, helping them turn their passion into a profession. WorldSkills Competitions create a global platform to help young people change their lives through skills. #SkillsChangeLives.

According to a recent report by RBC, over 700,000 skilled tradespeople are expected to retire by 2028. Getting youth interested in pursuing skilled trade and technology careers to build our country's workforce is crucial for our economy.

About Skills/Compétences Canada
Skills Canada was founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization with partner Skills Canada organizations in each of the provinces/territories that work with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trade and technology careers among Canadian youth. Its unique position among private and public-sector partners enables it to work toward securing Canada's future skilled labour needs while helping young people discover rewarding careers. Skills Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trade and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trade awareness programs. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Skills/Compétences Canada is the Canadian Member organization of WorldSkills.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Michèle Rogerson, [email protected], T. 343-883-7545 ext. 509