Fundraiser honours skilled trades supporters in Ontario
March 19, 2009
By
Alyssa Dalton
By Mike Edwards
KITCHENER, Ont. – The 8th Annual Building Futures One Dream at a Time Fundraising Dinner & Silent Auction, presented by Skills Canada – Ontario, attracted a sold-out crowd in Kitchener, Ont., earlier this month.
Each year, proceeds from this event are earmarked for the Skills Canada
– Ontario Bursary. Since 2002, this bursary has provided financial
assistance for close to 420 competitors travelling to Canadian Skills
Competitions.
The event also marked the Klaus Woerner Skilled Trades Hall of Fame
awards presentations by Skills Canada – Ontario. This year there were
seven Hall of Fame inductees, including Christian Kalemba, retired
president of Festo Inc. in Canada, and Dr. John Tibbits, president and
CEO of Conestoga College Institute of Technology & Advanced
Learning in Kitchener, Ont.
Kalemba was nominated for the award by Ian Howcroft, with the Canadian
Manufactures & Exporters, and by Laurent Thibault, treasurer of the
WorldSkills organization.
"Chris is one the few chief executives who has consistently spoken
passionately about the need to support skills training at a high
level," said Thibault. Added Howcroft: "As a leader in manufacturing,
[a] promoter of skills, and supporter of Skills Canada – Ontario and
the mechatronics contest, Chris has made an enormous contribution to
the lives of young people in Ontario…During this challenging time, it
is even more important to recognize his contribution. Canada still
needs to have a skilled workforce and has to maintain its training
programs."
Dr. Tibbits was a member of the Board of Directors of Skills Canada –
Ontario from 1997 to 2001. Conestoga College has been Host College for
the Ontario Technological Sills Competition since 1997 and Dr. Tibbits
supports the college’s ongoing financial and in-kind commitment to the
skills competitions. While worried about Canada’s manufacturing sector,
he said that recent federal and provincial retraining programs have
helped to increase enrolment at Conestoga College.
Skills Canada – Ontario is a not-for-profit organization that promotes
careers in the skilled trades and technologies to young people in
Ontario as viable, first choice career options. More information can be found at www.skillsontario.com.
