Welcome to the C O A T S website

WorldSkills is a not-for-profit membership association that operates worldwide. It is politically and denominationally neutral, and open to agencies or bodies who have a responsibility for promoting vocational education and training in their respective countries/regions.

Mission
WorldSkills' mission is to promote, through the cooperative actions of Members, a worldwide awareness of the essential contribution that skills and high standards of competence make to the achievement of economic success and individual fulfilment.

Objectives

Market WorldSkills by drawing on the global efforts of Member organizations.
Position the WorldSkills Competition as the premier world event for skills recognition and advancement.
Develop a new modern identity and a flexible structure to support the global activities of WorldSkills.
Develop strategic partnerships with selected corporate, government and non-government organizations to further the aims of WorldSkills.
Disseminate information and share knowledge about skill standards and WorldSkills performance benchmarks, especially via the World Wide Web.
Facilitate networking among WorldSkills experts to develop new opportunities for skills development and innovation.
Encourage the transfer of skills, knowledge and cultural exchange between participants in WorldSkills and other young people across the world.

To achieve these objectives WorldSkills will:

challenge young people, their teachers, trainers and employers to achieve world class standards of competence in commerce, services and industry, and to promote the status of vocational training
conduct WorldSkills Competitions in alternate years
promote the exchange of ideas and experience in vocational training through seminars, meetings and competitions
disseminate information on world class standards of competence
seek to motivate young people to pursue further education and training relevant to their careers
facilitate communication and contacts between vocational training organizations around the world
encourage the exchange of young professionals among the Members

For more information about WorldSkills (e.g., history, members, past and upcoming event information, how to join, reports, presentations, newsletters, how to order a DVD of past competitions, etc.), visit the official WorldSkills web site at http://www.worldskills.org/site/public/index.php.

As discussed above, the WorldSkills Competition is one avenue by which WorldSkills achieves its objectives. Over its 50-year history, the WorldSkills Competition has come to symbolize excellence in skilled trades and technologies training.

Every two years, hundreds of young competitors from all over the world gather to compete in this international event. The competition sets world class standards in over 40 skill categories ranging from welding to cooking, auto body repair to landscape gardening, plumbing to web design.

The competition also draws hundreds of thousands of visitors including policy makers, government representatives, employers, teachers, trainers and experts from around the world.

The most recent competition was in Helsinki, Finland in 2005 (see WorldSkills Helsinki 2005 at http://www.wsc2005helsinki.com). The next competition will be held in Shizuoka, Japan in 2007 (see WorldSkills Shizuoka 2007 at http://www.skillsfestival2007.or.jp/en/). Calgary will play host to the competition in 2009 (see information below).

With support from public, private and community groups, Calgary won their bid to host the 40th WorldSkills Competition in 2009 (see WorldSkills Calgary 2009 at http://www.worldskills2009.com/).

WorldSkills Calgary 2009 is a not-for-profit organization charged with delivering the 2009 WorldSkills Competition in Calgary. The organization's broad mission is to engage the passion of our youth to pursue satisfying trades and technology career pathways that result in a motivated and highly skilled workforce. Quick facts about the competition are as follows:

Organizers believe that the opportunity to see skilled young people striving to achieve excellence at the 2009 WorldSkills Competition will have a positive impact on students of all ages, regardless of their career choices. Organizers will be working with education professionals and other organizations in the period between now and the competition to determine the most effective ways to maximize that positive impact. Still in the early stages of planning, the organizers encourage educators and students to keep an eye on the WorldSkills 2009 website over the upcoming year for opportunities to provide input or to get involved.

What education and training opportunities are available in Alberta to prepare youth for vocational careers?

Given the vocational focus of the WorldSkills Competition, you may be asking what education and training opportunities are available in Alberta to prepare youth for vocational careers. The following web sites are offered as starting points to seeking answers to this question.

Alberta Education, Career and Technology Studies
Copyright 2006 Government of Alberta
http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/k%5F12/curriculum/bySubject/cts/

Career and Technology Studies (CTS) is an optional program designed for Alberta's secondary school students. As a program of choice, CTS help junior and senior high school students

investigate career options and make effective career choices,
use technology (tools, processes) effectively and efficiently,
apply and reinforce learnings developed in other subject areas, and
prepare for entry into the workplace or further learning.

The structure of CTS enables schools to design unique courses that meet the needs of students and take advantage of community resources. Developed across levels rather than grades, CTS has multiple entry points and provides junior and senior high school students with access to a common curriculum. Being a competency-based curriculum, CTS recognizes prior learning both from formal schooling and personal initiatives. See http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/k%5F12/curriculum/bySubject/cts/ for more information about programs (22 options from agriculture to wildlife), resources, and contacts.

Tradesecrets provides extensive information for those interested in becoming a registered apprentice or certified journeyman, or in learning more about designated trades. In addition, this site offers

breaking news (e.g., counseling sheets for various trades),
information about several trades and occupations (i.e., duties, working conditions, skills and abilities, employment and advancement, requirements for working in Alberta, apprenticeship training requirements, etc.),
information about the apprenticeship and industry training system,
information about scholarships and awards, financial assistance, and international training opportunities,
and more.

For a broader perspective on career, learning and employment information see the Alberta Learning Information System at http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca. For a complete listing of post-secondary institutions in Alberta including technical institutes, see http://www.advancededucation.gov.ab.ca/college/postsecsystem/ postsecinst/postsecinst.asp.

WorldSkills Canada Competition - Calgary 2009