Toronto, Ontario — July 25, 2019 – On August 22, skilled students from around the world will face off in the epic, five-day competition in Kazan, Russia for the title of the semi-annual WorldSkills champ.
With the slogan “Skills for Future,” WorldSkills expects more than 1,700 young competitors representing over 70 countries and competing in 50 skill areas.
From welding to bricklaying and heavy vehicle mechanics, Team Canada has an impressive lineup of competitors, including Maggie Friesen, who will be proudly representing Canada’s car painting sector of the competition.
“This is a great opportunity for me and a chance to represent Canada and women in the automotive industry on a global scale,” Friesen told Collision Repair.
Friesen is among the 32 young competitors representing Canada in front of an expected 150,000 spectators in a newly-constructed 800,000 sq. ft facility.
This event is deemed the “Olympics of the trades,” and is the first time Russia is hosting the event.
“We are very proud of the hard work and dedication that Team Canada has demonstrated,” stated CEO of SkillsCanada, Shaun Thorson.
“The WorldSkills Competition is a great opportunity for competitors to test their skills against the best in the world and to showcase their talent.”
Cecile Bukmier, a former competitor and mentor accompanying the students to the competition believes this experience will be both a challenge and opportunity of a lifetime for the competitors.
“Preparing for this type of competition requires a lot of preparation and collaboration. The challenge the competitors will face is not only that of trade task completion but also their mental dexterity,” stated Bukmier. “They will be out of their comfort zone, away from their country. Foreign foods, languages, and places will be a big distraction for them. They may see equipment or materials that are unfamiliar to them. On top of that, there will be more people watching and filming them than ever before.”
Bukmier is thrilled to attend WorldSkills and watch Canada’s representatives inspire others to join the trade.
Good luck Canada, and stay tuned for more WorldSkills updates!
