Skills/Compétences Canada e-newsletter

Summer 2020 e-newsletter

In This Issue

Skills Canada In The News

Social Media Highlights

Skills Canada News

Upcoming Events

Industry News and Stories

Comments or questions about this e-newsletter?

Contact Michele Rogerson

micheler@skillscanada.com

Join SCC on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr & Instagram

Message from the CEO

It has been a challenging few months . Canada and the world have been faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the cancel lation of events around the globe. Skills Canada 's Provincial and Territorial M ember O rganizations and Skills/ Compétences Canada were not immune to the effects. Provincial and Territorial S kills C ompetitions were cancelled during the months of March, April and May , and the 2020 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC ) that was to be hosted in Vancouver at the end of May wa s also cancelled . As events were cancelled, schools were closed and travel restrictions implemented , our Skills Canada P rovincial and T erritorial M ember O rganizations pivoted quickly to launch online challenges and initiatives that engaged thousands upon thousands of youth from across Canada. In many instances those same organizations were able to provide content t hat was used in virtual classrooms for secondary students.

Nationally, Skills/ Compétences Canada (SCC) hosted the 2020 SCNC Digital Experience of Skills which captured many of the planned session themes but in a virtual format. Through this virtual event, SCC was able to profile skilled trade and technology occupations by working with our many organization partners, businesses and ed u cational institutions. I ndustry celebrities such as The Holmes Group ( Mike , Mike Jr. and Sherry ) and Kate Campbell from such shows as "Disaster Decks" also participated . During that week our 13 P rovincial/ T erritorial Member Organizations also provided engaging content including S kills C ompetitions held virtually. Many Skills Canada alumni and technical experts also actively participated as we delivered more than 120 sessions of compelling and informative content through our social media channels. A special thank you to everyone that participated during this week of activities .

S kills Canada is also currently taking part in the WorldSkills #SkillsKeepMoving Campaign , which is being held from June 15 to July 22 . The SCC team, along with WorldSkills and its M ember O rganizations, want to recognize the critical role all the skilled essential workers play in keeping the world moving during these unprecedented times . Join us on SCC's social media channels to recognize the # essentialworkers that keep the world moving! #skillskeepmoving.

Designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014 , World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) will be held on July 15 th . WYSD is an opportunity for young people, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, and public and private sector stakeholders to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. SCC will be highlighting this day on our social media channels by sharing a special video clip of our National Alumni Committee members. Stay tuned on our social media channels #WYSD .

Other activities in the near future include National Skilled Trade and Technology Week (NSTTW) which is taking place across Canada from November 1 to 8 , 20 20 . SCC and its Member Organizations are working with partners to host face to face and virtual activities during this week . Join us for this inspiring week of activities.

SCC and Compétences Québec are now starting to prepare for the 2 6 th Skills Canada National Competition which will be held on June 3 and 4, 2021, at ExpoCité , in Québec City, QC. This fall, members of our National Technical Committee and many of our SCNC partners will be meeting virtually to develop the scope and projects for the 45 Skill Areas. SCC would like to thank its volunteers and partners for their continued support in particular during these ever-changing circumstances .

Following SCNC 20 2 1 , Skills / Compétences Canada will be selecting WorldSkills Team Canada 2021 . These competitors will represent Canada at WorldSkills Shanghai 2021 to compete on the international stage at the prestigious 46 th WorldSkills Competition.

Shaun Thorson

Chief Executive Officer

Skills/Compétences Canada

Skills/Compétences Canada In the News

Here are some recent news clips featuring Skills/Compétences Canada (SCC)

and its Member Organizations:

-Read this interesting article published in the National Post on July 14, 2020:

Mike Holmes: A shout-out to the value of a career in the trades featuring SCC's CEO Shaun Thorson.

-Check out this great Opinion Editorial written By Karen Creditor, President of SCC and Shaun Thorson, CEO of SCC, published on July 1st, 2020, in The Hill Times: Canada's future workforce must be truly diverse and highly skilled at problem-solving.

-Read this interesting article in Business Elite Canada Magazine's June issue which features an interview with Shaun Thorson, SCC's CEO, on pages 12-19: For SCC, it's all about exposing young women and men to skilled trades and technologies, with an article highlighting UA's involvement with the Skills Canada National Competition on pages 14-15.

-Check out this article which highlights one of Skills Canada Ontario's initiatives, in Canadian Packaging, on June 10, 2020: Skills Ontario challenges Ontarians to build paper towers through #SkillsAtHome series.

-Read this interesting article published in Daily Commercial News on June 10, 2020 on UA Canada and Skills Canada's Young Women in Construction Trades Conference featuring Kate Campbell: Women in construction describe life changing career choices during conference.

-Check out this article and video in Chat News Today! on May 31, 2020, featuring the bronze medal winner for animation at the Skills Canada Alberta Provincial Competition: High school student animates her way to bronze at provincials.

-Check out this great news clip on Global BC, on May 27, 2020, highlighting Skills/Compétences Canada's Digital Experience of Skills which highlight initiatives that would have been held during the 2020 Skills Canada National Competition in Vancouver in May.

-Read this article featured in Exchange Magazine on May 26, 2020: Fifth challenge in Skills Ontario's #SkillsAtHome challenge series takes off, encourages skill development.

-Check out this article in Red Deer Advocate on May 19, 2020, highlighting Skills Alberta's virtual competition: Red Deer students compete in Skills Alberta competition.

-Read this article in Constructionlinks.ca on May 19, 2020: Skills Ontario calls for submissions for #SkillsAtHome series to encourage skill-building in design, planning, and construction.

-Check out this article highlighting Skills Canada Nunavut in Radio-Canada on May 13, 2020: La créativité de jeunes du Nunavut pour briser l'isolement causé par la pandémie (Youth in Nunavut demonstrate their creativity to break the isolation from the pandemic).

-Read this article published on CBC on April 20, 2020 highlighting Skills Canada Northwest Territories' activities: N.W.T. online STEM challenge gives kids a fun and educational activity during COVID-19 restrictions.

-Check out this article featuring Skills Canada NWT alumni on CBC on April 16, 2020: Need a mask? These N.W.T seamstresses have you covered.

Social Media Highlights

Check out our top social media posts:

Follow Skills Canada:

Skills Canada News

Recap of SCC's Digital Experience: a Canadian Celebration of Skills

Skills/ Compétences Canada (SCC) held its first ever D igital E xperience of Skills to highlight some of the event s which would have been hosted during the 2020 Skills Canada National Competition in Vancouver , which was cancelled due to Covid-19 . This campaign took place f rom May 22 to May 30 and include d many fun and informative online activities . SCC also took its followers through their virtual tour of the country campaign where each Skills Canada Member Organization s contributed social media posts highlighting their exciting programs and ini tiatives.

Skills Canada worked with its partners, industry celebrities including The Holmes Group and HGTV's Kate Campbell , its 13 provincial/territorial Member Organizations and many Skills Canada alumni to develop digital content . Through this initiative, SCC continued to inform young Canadians about the importance of skilled trade and technology careers with interactive content which was shared on SCC's Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , YouTube and LinkedIn . This week of activities included lively panel discussions, engaging interviews, fun online demonstrations, and much more.

Skills Canada would like to thank everyone that participated in this campaign helping us inspire youth to develop their passion for skills and pursue excellence in the skilled trades and technologies. Through this campaign, we had an impressive reach on social media with over 125,000 people on our Facebook page, over 237,000 impressions on Twitter and 31,000 plus impressions on our Instagram platform.

Check out some of the highlights and discover how s kills change lives :

Listen to this live broadcast "Let's Talk Trades" with The Holmes Group including Mike Holmes Sr., Mike Jr. and Sherry, along with Shaun Thorson, SCC's CEO , on skilled trade careers and the importance of Essential Skills.

Check out this message from Shae White, WorldSkills Champions Trust representative for the Americas who shared her inspiring journey as a cook and the important work done by the WorldSkills Champions Trust.

View this interesting clip " Ask an Expert " featuring Sue Lefort , Member of SCC Board of Directors and Machinist.

Check out UA Canada's Young Women in Construction Trades online conference featuring HGTV's Kate Campbell.

Listen to this inspiring chat with Helena Mabbett , Abilympics Team Canada 2016 Welding competitor about overcoming the challenges of having a disability while working in the trades. This was part of this year's compelling Essential Skills Forum - Making Skills Accessible , hosted by Chris Gallant from Skills Canada Nova Scotia .

Following this Digital Experience of Skills , SCC held three contest s where the participants had to answer questions regarding highlights of this campaign . The winners are:

Contest #1, May 25 & 26: Justin Monteza , Edmonton, AB

Contest #2 , May 27 & 28: Ediver Monteza , Edmonton, AB

Contest #3 , May 29: Jasmine Champagne, Ottawa, ON

To see the all of the inspiring videos , go to SCC's Facebook channel . Stay tuned for the recap document of SCC's Digital Experience which will be published later this summer .

The Essential Skills are Highlighted During SCC's Digital Experience of Skills

Essential Skills (ES) had a virtual presence during Skills/ Compétences Canada's (SCC) Digital Experience of Skills ! In keeping with ES activities during the week of what would have been our Skills Canada National Competition, SCC brought you ES Talks and ES Virtual Forum Discussions.

Essential Skills Talks was hosted by Alex Musial of Event Management and Consulting and consisted of three different panels where our industry and education partners came together via Zoom to discuss Employability Skills , Education and Learning , and Essential Skills and Recruitment. Tune into these segments and learn about industry views, tips, and information all within the concept of Essential Skills.

The Essential Skills Forum - Making Skills Accessible was hosted by Skills Canada Nova Scotia's Chris Gallant. These virtual interviews were done with Keith Gelhorn and Sean Kettley , who are both strong advocates for persons with disabilities. In addition, Helena Mabbett , a former skills competitor discussed her experience at the Abilympics in w elding. W atch these segments on our Youtube channel .

The Members of SCC's National Alumni Committee Share
Their Stories

As part of Skills/ Compétences Canada's (SCC) RBC Foundation Alumni Series , SCC's CEO Shaun Thorson interviewed the members of the National Alumni Committee (NAC) about their skills journey . The members of NAC shared their story, from how they got involved in skills competitions to how they continue to spread the word about the skills movement. Check out their inspiring stories by click ing on the links below or by visiting SCC's Facebook page .

RBC Skills Canada Alumni Series 1 featuring Shoshawna Blair (Patel), NAC representative from British Columbia.

RBC Skills Canada Alumni Series 2 featuring Ian Cook, NAC representative from Alberta.

RBC Skills Canada Alumni Series 3 featuring Mary Omole, NAC representative from Nunavut.

RBC Skills Canada Alumni Series 4 featuring Britnee Mishak , NAC representative from Saskatchewan.

RBC Skills Canada Alumni Series 5 featuring Nicole Hamilton, NAC representative from Nova Scotia.

RBC Skills Canada Alumni Series 6 featuring Nathan Verseghy , NAC repres e n ta tive from Ontario .

RBC Skills Canada Alumni Series 7 featuring Kassandra Bilodeau, NAC representative from Québec.

SCC will be creating a new section on their Website with more information about their alumni and the members of NAC. Stay tuned!

Members of Skills Canada's National Alumni Committee (NAC) Participate in the Global Innovation Field Trip with The Learning Partnership

The Global Innovation Field Trip (GIFT) , a global showcase of student innovation , was broadcast ed live for 24-hours on May 14 and 15, 2020 , with another session which was held on July 9 and 10 . The Learning Partnership collaborat ed with organizations from around the world including Skills / Compétences Canada to celebrate young innovators and those who educate, inspire and sponsor innovation.

Britnee Mishak , Nicole Hamilton and Shoshawna Blair (Patel), members of Skills Canada's National Alumni Committee (NAC), and Jeremy Braithwaite, National Technical Committee member, participated in this initiative to highlight career pathways in skilled trades, aligned with innovation and skill development. Bri tnee and Nicole participated in the first session, while Showshawna and Jeremy spoke in the second one.

Britnee Mishak , the Saskatchewan NAC representative, shared her career journey on becoming a Graphic Designer and highlighted the skills that brought her here. Nicole Hamilton from Nova Scotia shared what she learned through the skilled trades and her passion for car painting. Shoshawna Blair (Patel), the BC NAC representative , spoke about her involvement with Skills and how this has shaped her ca reer in Baking . Jeremy Braithwaite, WorldSkills Team Canada's Expert in Mechanical Engineering CAD, spoke about his experiences with Skills and what these have taught him.

These collaborations celebrate d young innovators as well as those who educate, inspire and sponsor innovation. Many groups from across Canada participated in these sessions including eight groups of students from The Learning Partnership who showcased their creations from I 3 , Coding Quest and Entrepreneurial Adventure as well as two educator partners.

Check out Nicole and Britnee's clips. To see the other segments of the Global Innovation Field Trip, check out their Facebook channel .

Edge Factor's Virtual Workplace Experience Episodes Showcase Skilled Trade Careers to Youth

Skills / Compétences Canada partnered with Edge Factor to promote Virtual Workplace Experiences to present the all-new series to schools across Canada . This series of videos, lesson plans, and activities were developed to empower educators and students to go behind closed doors and discover real life work environments in diverse industries. Students can experience what it looks and feels like to work in several industries . These videos were shared on Skills Canada's social media platforms from May 18 - June 29, 2020.

The se seven episodes include a glimpse into a day in the life of a skilled worker in the following skilled trades. Click on the links below to watch these informative and fascinating videos.

Episode 1 - Horticulture

Episode 2 - Automotive Service Technician

Episode 3 - Robotics/Manufacturing

Episode 4 - Aviation Aircraft Maintenance

Episode 5 - Commercial Construction

Episode 6 - Agriculture & Natural Resources Viticulture

Episode 7 - Hospitality & Tourism Culinary: Authentic Culinary

Skills Canada invites e ducators to use these resources as e-learning tools and in post-COVID classrooms, to showcase skilled trades and career profiles, demonstrate how STEAM ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) comes alive in the real world, and teach real world skills. These Virtual Workplace Experience s include the following key components: a Virtual Workplace Experience + Lesson Plan , Career Profile , STEAM ( Science , Technology , Engineering , Art and Math) Geek Out and Soft Skills Breakout .

Edge Factor empowers communities to tackle workforce development, inspire students, reach parents, and build relationships between local companies, schools, and families. They equip K-12 and post secondary schools, businesses, workforce development organizations, and families with e-learning tools to showcase industries and careers, teach soft skills, show how STEAM comes alive in the real world, and highlight local training and career opportunities.

For more information .

Join SCC for the #SkillsKeepMoving Campaign

June 15 to July 22

#SkillsKeepMoving is a campaign dedicated to essential workers around the world. As the world unites to combat COVID-19, essential skilled workers are working tirelessly to keep our societies, businesses, and hospitals operating. The individuals that the WorldSkills movement is designed to inspire, develop, and celebrate have been working tirelessly, demonstrating that skills are the building blocks of our societies.

During the COVID-19 global pandemic, our world faced lockdown on a scale never experienced before. But thanks to essential skilled workers doing their jobs behind the scenes, the world hasn't completely shut down. We don't always see their work because many of us are at home. These dedicated people are taking health risks to ensure our safety.

The Skills/ Compétences Canada team, along with WorldSkills and its member organizations, want to express a heartfelt thank you to the world's essential skilled workers. We want to recognize their work, and we want to raise their spirits through this campaign. Although our work in hosting skills competitions is temporarily on hold, our mission to raise the profile and recognition of skilled people and show how important skills are in achieving economic growth and personal success has never been more important.

We invite you to join our campaign on SCC's social media channels to recognize the #essentialworkers that #skillskeepmoving .

Check out the great promotional video for this campaign:

Register for the WorldSkills Conference Talks!

In June and July, WorldSkills will move young skilled professionals and experts into the spotlight. These webinars will explore the current situation of champions across the globe as well as the future of skills organizations and competitions alike.

For more information, visit www.worldskills.com .

To register for these compelling conferences, click here .

Upcoming Events

Celebrate World Youth Skills Day on July 15th!

July 15 was declared as World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) by the United Nations in November 2014. Skills/ Compétences Canada (SCC) is proud to be part of a global recognition and promotion of skills. SCC will be highlighting this day on their social media channels by sharing special video clips from their National Alumni Committee members and other Skills C anada Alumni . SCC will also be recognizing the essential workers that have kept the world moving during the pandemic through their skills .

WYSD was created to generate greater awareness of and discussion on the importance of technical, vocational education, and training and the development of other skills relevant to both local and global economies. It is hoped that it will contribute to reducing unemployment and underemployment among the youth across the globe. It will highlight youth skills development to draw attention to the critical need for marketable skills.

In support of UNESCO's theme for the day "Learning to learn for life and work" the WorldSkills Champions Trust is developing a video campaign to encourage young people from around the globe to develop selfie style videos that outline how their life has changed by learning a skill.

On their social media channels, they will be requesting skilled people share in a one-minute video what motivated them to learn a skill, what they learnt about themselves in the process, and how they continue to master their skills every day . Tag any videos or images posted on your social media with #WYSD to connect to the larger campaign.

Join Skills/ Compétences Canada , WorldSkills and the United Nations in celebrating this day by using #WYSD , the official hashtag for that day, and share all of your activities and events on your social media channels.

Visit SCC's Facebook , Instagram and Twitter pages for the latest World Youth Skills Day updates.

Join Skills/Compétences Canada in Celebrating Essential Skills Day!

Skills/ Compétences Canada (SCC) is partnering with ABC Life Literacy to celebrate Essential Skills Day on September 24 th , 2020 . Check out SCC's social media channels for interviews, posts, and resources that bring awareness to literacy and Essential Skills .

Use the following hashtags to promote ES Day : #ESD2020 #The9AtWork #essentialskills #skillsforsuccess

Essential Skills Day is an annual initiative which tak es place each September to raise awareness about the importance of workplace literacy and essential skills training. The nine E ssential S kills, identified by the Government of Canada (reading, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communications, working with others, thinking, computer use and continuous learning), are the foundation for all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. These skills are used in every job to varying degrees and at different levels of complexity. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change.

Click here for more information on Essential Skills Day 2020.

SCC Launches Essential Skills Back to School Campaign to Highlight Essential Skills Day

Skills/ Compétences Canada invites you to participate in this social media initiative aimed at promoting the Essential Skills program in conjunction with Essential Skills Day on Thursday, September 24 th , 20 20 .

Tweet, Facebook a Post, or Instagram a story about how you use Essential Skills (ES). You can include ES at work, school, or everyday activities. Don ' t forget to use the se hashtag s #ESD2020 #The9AtWork and #essentialskills #skillsforsuccess

Skills/ Compétences Canada ' s ES Back to School campaign brings awareness to individuals about developing and maintaining high level Essential Skills. The purpose is to highlight the importance of the nine Essential Skills commonly used in school s and the workplace that help young Canadians understand which skill they may need to focus and improve on, as well as how Essential Skills are important for skilled trade or technology careers.

How do students use Essential Skills?

Digital Skills - Students need to understand information from digital technology, and how to use appropriate tools to create, input, access, organize, integrate and assess digital resources. This is very important for the upcoming school year and therefor e will be the theme for the 2021 Skills Canada National Competition , in Québec City .

Problem Solving Skills - Being able to identify and understand problems and to review related information to develop options that lead to the best solutions. Figuring out which classes to take and at what time? Use your problem-solving skills to find the solution.

How does Apprenticeship use Essential Skills?

Problem Solving Skills - Apprentices a pply classwork theory to real workplace setting s allowing them to find the best solution for any problems that may arise.

Document Use Skills - I nterpret all forms of information, not just words! Tables, charts, blueprints, and schematics!

Good Essential Skills make for successful students, apprentices, and successful future employees. Click here for Essential Skills resources.

Visit www.skillscompetencescanada.com to learn more about Essential Skills.

Stay Tuned for National Skilled Trade and Technology Week

November 1 to 8, 2020

Skills/ Compétences Canada (SCC) and its Member Organizations will be hosting virtual events to raise awareness of skilled trade and technology careers to parents, youth and educators. This week of events will include online presentations and interactive activities , to name a few, which will be shared on SCC's social media channels. This is an opportunity for organizations across Canada, industry, education, labour, government, associations and educational institutions, to get involved in promoting skilled trade and technology opportunities to youth in a fun way through our digital channels.

More information about National Skilled Trade and Technology Week (NSTTW) will be available over the coming weeks at www.skillscompetencescanada.com.

A list of activities happening in each province and territory will be available shortly at

www.skillscompetencescanada.com. To obtain more information contact your provincial/territorial office.

Save the Date for the 2021 Skills Canada National Competition!

Next year's Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) will be held June 3 and 4, 2021 at ExpoCité, in Q uébec City.

The year 20 2 1 will mark the 26 th Skills Canada National Competition. Through SCNC, Skills/ Compétences Canada promotes skilled trade and technolog y careers to Canadian youth. The Skills Canada National Competition is our flagship event and is a n ideal way to connect with tomorrow's workforce!

Québec City, located along Canada ' s St. Lawrence River, is known for its classical architecture and a distinctive European feel. The Historic District of Old Québec ' s fortified city walls are the only ones of their kind left standing in northern North America, and in 1985, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most of the city ' s economy is based on transportation, tourism, the service sector, and defense. Québec City is one of the largest and most visited places in Canada. Tourists flock to its various festivals. It also boasts a host of historic sites, including Citadel of Québec, as well as numerous museums.

We could not hold an event of this magnitude without the support of our partners and stakeholders, including the Government of Canada, our industry and education partners and many, many others. To find out more about our sponsorship opportunities and discuss what could best suit your organization, please contact: Gail Vent, Director, Business Development and Marketing, Skills/ Compétences Canada, at 1-877-754-5336 ext. 507, or call her directly at 1-819-664-9579, or reach out to her via email at: gailv@skillscanada.com .

To stay up to date with SCNC Québec 2021, go to: www.skillscanada.com.

Shanghai will host 46th WorldSkills Competition

Shanghai is hosting the 46th WorldSkills Competition from September 22 to 27, 2021 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center. Over 1,300 competitors from up to 8 4 Member countries and regions will gather in Shanghai, China to compete in 56 Skill Areas for the prestigious title of international champion.

Skills/ Compétences Canada will be announcing the WorldSkills Team Canada 2021 Prospects following the 202 1 Skills Canada National Competition, in Québec C ity . The members of WorldSkills Team Canada 2021 will be competing in up to 29 of the 56 S kill A reas against the best in the world for the chance to be named international champion in their chosen field.

Held every two years, the WorldSkills Competition is the world's largest professional education event and represents the gold standard of excellence in skilled trades and technologies. The WorldSkills Competition inspires young competitors to reach new heights, helping them turn their passion into a profession.

The event slogan for WorldSkills Shanghai 2021 is Master Skills Change the World . Skills are the driving force for the development of human civilization and the global common wealth. Master the skills to change the world, lead the future and benefit mankind.

Check out their promo video .

For more information about WorldSkills Shanghai 2021, visit www.worldskillsshanghai2021.com.

In dustry News and Stories

Electricity Human Resources Canada Comes on Board as a Partner

Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) has recently signed on as an Educational and Association Partner of the 2021 Skills Canada National Competition , in Québec City . Skills/ Compétences Canada (SCC) in partnership with EHRC will continue to promote skilled trade and technology careers to youth in Canada. Thanks to partners like EHRC, SCC can provide information on the many career opportunities that exist within the electricity industry.

EHRC is a not for profit organization that works to strengthen the ability of the Canadian electricity industry in meeting current and future needs for their workforce-one that is safety-focused, highly skilled, diverse and productive. They are committed to the improvement of this sector and the growth of Canada's economy .

For more information on EHRC .

The Virtual Skills Conferences Were a Success!

Skills competitions across Canada were cancelled this year due to the threat of COVID-19, which further led to the cancellation of the Skills Canada National Competition. Through the perseverance and much support from UA Canada, the show went on - on line , that is.

Although a pprentices were not able to compete this year, many events were still able to show support for t radespeople across Canada by continuing with online events like v irtual c onferences, t alks, and live w ebinars.

The Skills Ontario Young Women's Conference was converted to a live webinar that drew over 1 , 200 attendees from across the country. This webinar was an all-woman conference with amazing hosts, guest speakers, and a panel of a pprentices and j ourneywomen who shared their stories and even took the time to answer questions. UA Canada's National Manager of Youth, Diversity, and Indigenous Relations - Jill Timushka joined as a panelist, sharing her 20 plus years of experience as a j ourneyman Red Seal B-pressure w elder. This conference was so successful that they planned an additional "Live Follow-Up Q&A Session" on June 16. Visit their website for more details - www.skillsontario.com .

Skills Canada Ontario also hosted the live online FNMI (First Nation, Metis, Inuit) Conference that included a blessing, hosts from Skills Canada Ontario, guest speakers, presentations, and a mentor panel of Indigenous t radespeople. An amazing p lumbing a pprentice from UA Canada, Dan White, made such a positive impression last year, that he was invited back again this year. By sharing his story, Dan hopes to inspire Indigenous y outh to join the trades. With a duration of nearly two hours, this event was a great success!

Skills / Com pé tences Canada adapted the Skills Canada National Competition by putting together pre-recorded informational videos in place of conferences and events. Training Specialist with UA Canada , Ray Lemieux, joined one of the Essential Skills Talks - Essential Skills & Recruitment to discuss what UA Canada does to support t radespeople in these areas. Talks like these bring industry leaders together to discuss how important Essential Skills are within the skilled t rades in Canada.

During this week of events , UA Canada's Young Women in Construction Conference was hosted b y UA Canada's National Manager of Youth, Diversity, and Indigenous Relations (interim), Jill Timushka. This video conference included

introductions and messages from many t radeswomen from across Canada, from a variety of skilled t rades. HGTV 's Kat e Campbell (@katebuilds) began the conference with a special message. Tradeswomen promoting the s killed t rades to Canadian youth is a truly inspiring event!

UA Canada h as been a sponsor of the Skills Canada National Competition for the past 10 years and continues to work together to support and promote the s killed t rades in Canada, in any way they can.

Contributed by: UA Canada

Students from Halton Hills Christian School Learn Welding Basics

Earlier this year , the CWB Welding Foundation welcomed a group of eight grade eight students for an introduction to welding program. The students , all from Halton Hills Christian School, were given a safe and positive introduction to the welding trade by veteran instructor Ken Thorn at the CWB Group's Advanced Welding Technology Centre in Milton, Ontario . This initiative grew out of the school's Exploratory program, which connects students with a local company so they can learn about career possibilities in the industry. "The students were very excited by

the program and couldn't wait for Thursday to roll around each week," said Ken Thorn. "Each of the projects that they came up with were truly remarkable."

Students from Halton Hills Christian School participate in a welding program hosted by the CWB Foundation.

Contributed by: CWB Welding Foundation

Melynda LaRosa Shares Why She Decided to Pursue Welding as a Career

I was initially indecisive when deciding on which field I wanted pursue, until I was introduced to welding. I enjoy working with my hands and creating , so naturally welding really stuck with me. I've always loved sketching and painting. I feel like my artistic qualities translate into my welding.

Although I've been working for Vale, a mining company , for about four years , I've only been working underground since July of last year, at the Creighton Mine . Prior to this, I worked at the Nickel Refinery. One of the things I really enjoy about my job is that n o two days are the same and I'm constantly learning , which keeps things interesting.


	Melynda hard at work.

I was introduced to welding by my u ncle Don. I wouldn't have become a w elder if it weren't for him. Another person that will always stand out to me as a mentor is Matt Carmichael. When I was fresh out of college, I had no real working experience in the trade, so I didn't have much confidence in my abilities. Matt taught me so much and I couldn't be more thankful to have started out with him showing me the ropes. My dad also continues to encourage and inspire me every single day . He has always had such a wide range of skill sets , and h e motivates me to broaden my knowledge of every trade not just welding .

I think one way to attract more people into the skilled trades would be to showcase the various career options as well as set up more introductory courses in elementary schools, high schools, colleges, etc. ... This would allow people of all ages to have a hands-on experience of what working in a trade is like . For young people who are choosing their career path, I recommend that they l ook at their strengths and think about what they enjoy doing. Don't be afraid to try something different or against the grain.

Contributed by: Melynda LaRosa from Vale

Developing a Virtual Skills Competition

ConsuLab's Rick Martineau has been involved with Skills / Compétences Canada in some capacity for decades. But even with all that experience, he's never encountered such a challenging time for Skills C ompetitions as we are in right now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Skills Canada Alberta asked all the Provincial Technical Committees to commit to a virtual competition for secondary-level students. While it was a challenge, it was necessary to carry on with these student competitions that they've worked so hard to prepare for.

The Skills Canada Alberta Automobile Technology group step ped forward to create such a virtual competit i on . The virtual automotive Skills C ompetition was put together in about a week's time and seemed to challenge the students, proving that even during extraordinary times like we are in now, that there are always educational solutions.

Rick said he was proud of how the competition came together under such trying circumstances. ConsuLab continues to support the trades and Skills, even during a global pandemic.

Contributed by: Consulab

Sandvik Coromant Offers Free e-Learning Program in Metal Cutting Technology

Metal cutting competence is in short supply worldwide , and demand is growing for education to meet the complexity of modern manufacturing. In addition to our support of education al institutions and Skills / Compétences Canada, Sandvik Coromant shares their own technical knowledge through a comprehensive e-learning program for metalworking skills. The focus is to understand terms and definitions and how to apply tools for turning, milling, boring and tool holding.

In Canada, schools and companies are using e MCT ( e - l earning program in m etal cutting t echnolog y) to help students and employees stay up to date with the latest industry methods and concepts. Participants get an understanding of the basics of production economics and how to improve productivity and profitability.

Click here and start the e-learning.

Contributed by: Sandvik Coromant

How will your Welding Program Look this Fall?

We know there are uncertainties around how to deliver an effective welding program that ensures skilled welders are ready to enter the workforce this fall. With Lincoln Electric's extensive involvement in welding training, research, instruction, educator support, electrodes, welding training systems, curriculum and resources, we have the expertise to help you achieve the best welding education solution that promotes safety and social distancing.

Get the Educational Materials and Resources You Need for Any Welding Program.

With access to classroom training materials, welding training systems, safety materials, educational videos and the purchasing of premium welding consumables, gear, tools and accessories, the Lincoln Electric Canada Education Portal has your virtual and in-class welding training covered.

As a member of the Education Portal you can order consumables and welding gear online 24/7 with special discounted pricing for Educational Institutes. Plus, you are eligible for additional cost savings!

Contributed by: Lincoln Electric