Skills Canada to donate tools used in skills competition

Skills/Compétences Canada, Skills Canada Alberta and Stanley Black & Decker will donate a collection of Stanley and DEWALT tools used at the 2012 Skills Canada National Competition to five schools in Alberta.

 This donation is designed to give students and educators with industry-leading tools that will help ensure that classroom training is relevant to the needs of employers that service Canada’s skilled trades industries. Recipients will receive a package of Stanley & DEWALT tools valued at up to $10,000 for use in their Career and Technology Studies (CTS) labs.

This donation builds upon other provincial and national initiatives being spearheaded by Skills/Compétences Canada and Skills Canada Alberta to help schools continue to deliver hands-on training and education programs that prepare students for careers in the skilled trades.

“Employers in Alberta, specifically in the energy sector, are in dire need of talented, young workers,” Chris Browton, executive director of Skills Alberta, said in a statement. “We hope that donations like these support students interested in skilled trades across Alberta and we can continue to attract more youth to successful careers in skilled trade and technology areas.”

This year, more than 650 students from across Alberta participated in the Provincial Skills Alberta Competition, which took place May 10-11. Sixty-one winners from Alberta proceeded to the Skills Canada National Competition and 11 will be representing Alberta on Team Canada for WorldSkills Leipzig 2013, the largest event of its kind and considered the pinnacle of excellence in skilled trades and technologies training

The Skills Canada National Competition, which took place May 14-15 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre in Edmonton City, Alberta, recognized Canada’s top champions in six skilled trade and technology categories: transportation, construction, manufacturing, information and technology, service and employment.