World Skills 2011

WorldSkills London 2011 - Closing Ceremony Celebrations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vptEtdmkZwY&feature=player_embedded

WorldSkills is the largest skills competition, jobs and careers event in the world. It is a competition for youth from 17 to 22 years to demonstrate their excellence in skilled professions. The competition, held in a member country every two years, is promoted and managed by WorldSkills International, formerly known as the International Vocation Training Organisation (IVTO). Started in 1950 in Spain, WSI is the lead global authority for skilled profession development, setting an international standard for excellence in trades, skilled professions and high technology. As of September 2008, WorldSkills International has 50 member countries. The most recent competition was held in WorldSkills London 2011 that took take place 5th - 8th October 2011 at ExCeL London in London's Docklands.

Governed by an international Board of Directors and administered by the WorldSkills Secretariat, WSI's mission is "...to promote, through the cooperative actions of Members, a world-wide awareness of the essential contribution that skills and high standards of competence make to the achievement of economic success and individual achievement."

Through international competitions held every two years, WSI attempts to raise awareness to the opportunities that exist in skilled professions with the intent of encouraging youth and their parents and teachers to explore career opportunities in skilled trades, skilled professions and high technology.

The WorldSkills Competition allows people from all over the world to "observe the world's best young skilled people in action" says Tjerk (Jack) Dusseldorp, President of WorldSkills International.

"The importance and opportunity for Canada to host the 40th international competition cannot be overemphasized." said Richard Walker, President and CEO of WorldSkills Calgary 2009. "Our goal is to host the best WorldSkills Competition, while offering 200,000 visitors and millions of observers from around the world an opportunity to become part of the event. We will not only stream live across the web, but we will also engage those present and virtual visitors (on the web) to become part of this historic event through interactive and hands on experiences." Walker added.

WorldSkills Calgary 2009 took place from September 1 through September 7, 2009. The event was held at Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. One thousand of the best skilled young people from 50 countries competed in 45 skill areas to determine who was the best of the best. More than 80,000 square meters of space was utilized during the competition and visitors and delegates from around the world occupied 30,000 hotel room nights while visiting Calgary.

The WorldSkills legacy will leave $18 million in new state-of-the art equipment after the event for youth training and education.Finally, WSI and the WorldSkills Calgary Organisation will, through education and youth awareness programs, leave a lasting legacy of awareness to the value of skills training and a career in skilled professions.

Honorary spokespersons for WorldSkills Calgary 2009 are Mike Holmes - Canadian Television personality "Holmes on Homes" and Chef David Adjey - Canadian television personality "Restaurant Make-over".

Among its main objectives are:

• Promote the exchange between young professionals from various regions of the world;
• Exchange of skills, experience and technological innovations;
• Raise the understanding in governments, education and industry to the importance of skills training.
• Raise the awareness of youth and those who influence youth to the opportunities available in skilled professions.

The young professionals who compete are selected by their respective countries, may only participate once in the WorldSkills Competition, and must be between the ages of 17 and 22 years in the year of competition.

Certificates of Achievement and medals are awarded to celebrate excellence during the competition: gold, silver and bronze, and certificates of excellence (to competitors who achieved over five hundred points).

"Knowledge is finite. It is the imagination that involves the world." Albert Einstein

"You know that your society is in peril when your entertainers are more valued than your tradesmen." Socrates

In 1946, given the need for skilled workers in Spain, the then Director-General of the Organization of Spanish Workers (OJE), Sr. Anthony Elola Olaso, realized it was necessary to create an effective system of professional training.

The idea of Olaso became a project in the hands of Antonio Almagro and Faustino Ramos, Director of the Center for Work, and awakened interests of agencies and companies where the most important centre for training Spanish, "Virgin of La Paloma," the idea embraced.

The first National Competition held in Madrid, the Spanish capital, was a success. Attended by four thousand apprentices.

But the event creators wanted more. They wanted to promote competitions that challenged competitors, showing the different levels of skill and ability of young people from other countries.

By having greater affinity, Latin American countries were invited to create an International Competition.

In 1950, with twelve young skilled competitors from Portugal and Spain, the first WorldSkills Competition was held.

Asia dominates at WorldSkills 2011 at London

http://www.themanufacturer.com/uk/content/12622/Asia_dominates_at_WorldSkills_as_misfortune_strikes_TeamUK

Despite high confidence among TeamUK trainers and mentors during the WorldSkills competition held last week in London, it seems that the best of British talent was unable to outshine foreign talent with just two UK bronze medals achieved firstly, in Mechanical Engineering Design CAD and secondly, in Welding.

These medals were taken away by Ryan Sheridan of Motherwell College (previously a gold medal winner at the EuroSkills Competition) and Jake Rambaldini of Doosan Babcock Energy Services respectively.

Mr Sheridan’s achievement was made despite chromic nerves and stress which his trainer Matt Bell of CAD Skills UK, said required medical attention during the months leading up to the competition.

Two other competitors from Japan and Switzerland took bronze medals in the Mechanical Engineering Design – CAD category at the inernational competition at London Excel. The skills test required the expert manipulation of Autodesk Inventor software in a selection of challenging design tasks.

Silver and Gold Medal in this category were won by representatives from Singapore and Brazil respectively.

Despite displaying bold confidence in their minimoto bike design, the BAE Systems team competing in the Manufacturing Team Challenge did not make it onto the medal board – just pipping Korea to come seventh out of the eight competing finalists.

Their dissappointing final placing was due to a punctured tyre which scuppered the otherwise impressive bike during the endurance challenge. Prior to this puncture the team were favorites for the silver medal behind Japan. Rachel Carr, BAE team member said: "They were the clear winners. Well done to them."

The medal tables shows that the engineering and manufacturing technologies competitions have been dominated this year by representatives from Japan, with strong presence from Korea. Outside the Far East Brazil have shown that investment in skills for its booming manufacturing industry is paying off with the South American nation gaining 7 seven medals across relevant categories.

Within Europe the best performance came from Switzerland who achieved medals in five categories including two silver medals in Construction Metal Work and Electronics.

The WorldSkills event at Excel received more than 200,000 visitors from across the UK and it is hoped the competition will have raised awareness among young people and teachers as to the opportunities available through vocational education and industrial careers.

Th Edge Foundation sponsored Team UK through their participation in the 2011 competition having supported the initial bid for London to host the event. This organisation will now be working to consolidate the enhanced profile of vocational education which the event has achieved in order to create a strong legacy. A key part of this ambition is to encourage WorldSkills alumni – past competitors – to be active in talking about the experience of representing their country on the international stage.

For full details of the medal winners at WorldSkills London 2011 go towww.worldskillslondon2011.com/info/results.