WorldSkills International site visit to Calgary Stampede Park, future home of the 40th WorldSkills Competition

CALGARY, May 28 /PRNewswire/ -- WorldSkills International (WSI) visited Calgary, Alberta, Canada to get a progress report on the preparations for the 40th WorldSkills Competition that is coming to Calgary in September of 2009. Accompanied by six of their seven Global Partners, WSI was delighted to see that Calgary is right on track to host the biggest skills competition in the world. Tjerk Dusseldorp, President of WorldSkills International delivered an inspiring speech about the importance of the WorldSkills movement and how Calgary is going to bring the WorldSkills Champions to the world stage. "WorldSkills Calgary 2009 will be a celebration for skills success and a clarion call to countries everywhere to engage their young people in skilled futures. The WorldSkills International Executive Board is here to sign off on whether Calgary is ready to host WorldSkills Calgary 2009. The answer is simple, it is a resounding YES! Calgary is all set to go," said Tjerk Dusseldorp, President of WSI.

Menno Vanderlist, a Silver medalist from Team Canada 2005 for IT/PC Network Support and the Best of Nation award recipient in Helsinki, Finland attended the media conference. "Competing in these environments, gives you the chance to meet people you'd normally never meet; you get to see other skills and trades exposed; seeing in action the people that keep the world running. As a competitor you don't have time to second guess what you're doing; you have to do it right the first time. I am proud to say that WorldSkills and Skills Canada helped shape my future; allowing me to compete where excellence is the standard - forcing me to think outside the box," remarked Menno Vanderlist.

The WorldSkills movement and inspiring young Champions would not be possible without the seven Global Partners: Autodesk, Cisco Systems, Draka, Festo, Fluke, Fluke Networks, and Samsung Electronics. David Green, Chairman of the Global Partner Team for WSI, was present to express the importance of developing the skilled workforce through competition environments. "The next couple of years are going to be critical in skills and workforce development. This time around WorldSkills Calgary 2009 gives us Global Partners an opportunity to work with and support WorldSkills and WorldSkills Calgary 2009 teams and work towards a milestone to check on how we are all doing in addressing these issues and in particular showing the world what the young people and future skilled professionals are doing... and that the future truly is in good hands. There is no economy without skilled workers," says Mr. Green.

More than 1,000 competitors representing 50 member countries/regions are expected to compete in 48 skills and technology based events from September 1-6, 2009.

Guy Mallabone, Chairman of the WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Board of Directors noted, "leading international corporations and "Captains of Industry" are supporting the WorldSkills International movement. Together, collaboratively, along with the WorldSkills International organisation, we are bringing human capital solutions to the international community, and to our own back yard here in Calgary, Alberta, and Canada. WorldSkills Calgary 2009 will help change perceptions - and reinforce the pride in a career in the skills trades and technology fields."

NOTE: Pictures and video taken at the media conference are available.

BACKGROUNDER
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About WorldSkills International and WorldSkills Calgary 2009

- WorldSkills International is an international Member driven
organisation that works through collaborative efforts to raise the
awareness of skilled professions.
- The 40th WorldSkills Competition will take place from
September 1 - 6, 2009, to be held at Calgary Stampede Park.
- 1,000 Competitors from 50 Member countries/regions (representing 20
languages) will be participating.
- Nearly 150,000 spectators and 5,000 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 will be housed and fed at the first ever
Competitors' village located at SAIT Polytechnic

About the WorldSkills Competition

- The WorldSkills Competition is the biggest skills competition in the
world.
- The first Competition was held in 1950 in Madrid, Spain. Canada last
hosted the WorldSkills Competition in Montreal in 1999 at the Olympic
Stadium.
- Every two years, over 1,000 Competitors from 50 Member
countries/regions gather to compete in over 40 skill categories
ranging from welding, cooking, autobody repair and landscape
gardening to beauty care and web design.
- The Competition attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors including
public policy makers, government representatives, employers,
teachers, trainers and experts from around the world.

Source: Worldskills Calgary 2009

CONTACT: MEDIA INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT: Michelle Bussey, Communications
and Marketing Director, WorldSkills International, Email:
michelle.bussey@worldskills.org, Cell phone: (902) 441-7041, Website:
www.worldskills.org; Kerry Moynihan, Vice-President External, WorldSkills
Calgary 2009, E-mail: kerry.moynihan@worldskills2009.com, Cell phone (403)
969-5963, Website: www.worldskills2009.com

2008-05-28 19:05:52 0372309 PRNEWSWIRE