21 Canadian Champions win 4 Medals and 17 Medallions of Excellence
LONDON, United Kingdom, Oct. 11, 2011 /CNW/ – After the completion of four days of international competition, Team Canada proudly took the podium at the closing ceremony of WorldSkills London 2011 on Sunday night to receive official recognition for their outstanding performance. Made up of 30 male and 4 female competitors ranging in age from 17 to 22, Team Canada took an impressive 4 Medals and 17 Medallions of Excellence -. Team Canada’s Jonathan Sinke won the ‘Best of Nation’ award having received top marks amongst his Canadian peers.
According to Skills/Compétences Canada, a national not-for-profit organization that actively promotes careers in skilled trades and technologies, WorldSkills London 2011 marks Canada’s best overall performance for medallions from any WorldSkills Competition. At the 2009 WorldSkills Competition held in Calgary, Canada won thirteen medallions of excellence.
“Preparing for WorldSkills London 2011 has been an intensive two-year training process for the 34 young competitors who make up Team Canada,” said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer, Skills/Compétences Canada. “We are exceptionally grateful for their enthusiasm and hard work and congratulate them on their excellent overall performance. With ongoing support from the Government of Canada, industry leaders and educators, these talented young people represent a bright future for Canada’s skilled trade and technology workforce, and we couldn’t be more proud.”
WorldSkills London 2011 represents Canada’s eleventh participation in WorldSkills, an international Competition which takes place every two years and brings together the world’s brightest in skilled trades and technology. This year’s Competition brought together more than 1000 competitors from 51 Member countries/regions who participated in team and individual competitions. Team Canada, one of the largest delegations Canada has ever sent to WorldSkills, competed in 32 of the 45 skills categories.
TEAM CANADA RESULTS FROM WORLDSKILLS LONDON 2011
Medal Winners
| Name | Trade | Award | Home Province / Region |
| Jonathan Sinke | Cabinetmaking | BRONZE | ON |
| Jenica Bubar | Beauty Therapy | BRONZE | NB |
| Aaron Hebb | Car Painting | BRONZE | NS |
| Ryan Gomes | Aircraft Maintenance | BRONZE | ON |
Medallions of Excellence Winners (Point Scores over 500)
| Name | Trade | Award | Home Province / Region |
| Thierry Lecours and Gabriel Thérien | Mechatronics | Medallion of Excellence | QC |
| Michael A. Christensen | Mechanical Engineering Design – CAD | Medallion of Excellence | BC |
| Steven Heidel | IT – Software Solutions for Businesses | Medallion of Excellence | SK |
| Mikael Hudon | Welding | Medallion of Excellence | QC |
| Nigel Renschler | Autobody Repair | Medallion of Excellence | AB |
| Timothy Twa | Electrical Installations | Medallion of Excellence | AB |
| Nicolas Richard | Bricklaying | Medallion of Excellence | QC |
| Benjamin Church and Adrian Schut | Mobile Robotics | Medallion of Excellence | ON |
| Kaylyn Mack | Ladies’ – Mens’ Hairdressing | Medallion of Excellence | SK |
| Marie-Ève Lazure | Confectionery – Pastry Cook | Medallion of Excellence | QC |
| Claude Côté | Automobile Technology | Medallion of Excellence | QC |
| Antoine Corriveau | Cooking | Medallion of Excellence | QC |
| Hubert Gravel | Restaurant Service | Medallion of Excellence | QC |
| Sean Donnan | Refrigeration and Air Conditioning | Medallion of Excellence | AB |
| Guillaume Parent | IT Network Systems Administration | Medallion of Excellence | QC |
| Andrew Power | Graphic Design Technology | Medallion of Excellence | NL |
More information on WorldSkills London2011, including complete international results, is available at: www.media.worldskills.org.
About Skills/Compétences Canada
Skills/Compétences Canada was founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization that works with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trades 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/Compétences Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trades and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trades awareness programs. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Skills/Compétences Canada is the Canadian Member organization of WorldSkills International. For more information visit www.skillscanada.com or call 877-754-5226.
Note to Editors:
High resolution photography and B-roll is available upon request, and can be downloaded from www.worldskillslondon2011.com.
SOURCE Skills/Competences Canada
For further information:
Media Contacts:
Christianne Scholfield
Director, Communications for Skills/Compétences Canada
343-883-7545 ext. 501 or 613 282-3774
christiannes@skillscanada.com
Caroline McGrath
CMM Communications Group (for Skills/Compétences Canada)
416 972-1642
caroline@cmm-communications.com
