Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, Patty Hajdu Engages with Youth Competitors and Participates in Try-A-Trade® and Technology Activities

 WINNIPEG, Manitoba, June 2, 2017 – Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour toured the 2017 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) held at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg. SCNC is Canada’s only national, multi-trade and technology competition for students and apprentices.

Approximately 550 youth from across Canada are competing in over 40 skilled trade and technology competitions, including robotics, cabinetmaking, landscape gardening, cooking, graphic design, welding, autobody repair, hairstyling, fashion technology, mechanical CADD, and a variety of others.

“I want young Canadians to know that the skilled trades are a promising and rewarding career path. I am pleased to be here today at the Skills Canada National Competition as they promote the skilled trades and technology fields to youth across our country. The young people competing here today are demonstrating their exceptional skills, innovative spirit, and hard work,” said Minister Hajdu.

SCNC brings together industry, government and education representatives and approximately 10,000 student visitors who will participate in over 50 Try-a-Trade® and Technology activities and interactive demonstrations on the Essential Skills Stage.

“The many hands-on activities at SCNC are extremely effective in showing youth the diverse and interesting career options that are out there,” said Skills/Compétences Canada CEO Shaun Thorson.

This year, SCNC will welcome 43 high school students from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, who traveled from Nelson House, in Northern Manitoba, to Winnipeg with the support of the Canadian Armed Forces 17 Wing Winnipeg and Vale.

Celebrities are also on hand to engage with the young visitors, including Jeremy Senaris, Paul LaFrance, Kate Campbell, Mike Holmes Jr., and Sherry Holmes.

“I chose to pursue a career in machining because it’s something that I’ve loved doing since high school,” said WorldSkills Team Canada 2017 member and Red River College student Silas Meeches. “It’s an amazing feeling to compete at a high level doing something you enjoy, while also knowing you can make a living at it.”

As part of WorldSkills Team Canada 2017, Meeches will travel to WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 in October alongside 30 other Canadian competitors.  “I hope that SCNC 2017 will inspire many other young people to find a passion in one of the many skilled trade and technology sectors, as I have.”

Through SCNC, Skills/Compétences Canada seeks to raise awareness about the skilled trade and technology sectors to Canadian youth and their influencers. For more info on Skills/Compétences Canada: www.skillscanada.com

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PHOTOGRAPHY and VIDEO

View the Skills Flickr page to access and upload hundreds of high resolution pictures of competitors in action.

MEDIA CONTACT

Michèle Rogerson, micheler@skillscanada.com, 613-266-4771

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MINISTER’S VISIT:

Catherine Fortin LeFaivre, catherine@cflcomms.com, 613-979-8683