Consisting of 77 competitions and numerous conferences, the Skills Ontario Competition at the Toronto Congress Centre earlier this month was a bustling beehive of activity.
More than 40,000 people attended the two-and-a-half-day event which provides a unique opportunity for elementary, high school and college students to demonstrate their skills in, what may be, their chosen career path.
The elementary and secondary school contestants represented approximately 66 of Ontario’s 74 school boards.
There were 2,800 participants in the 77 competitions. Many of the competitions were focused on the construction sector, such as brick masonry, cabinet making, woodworking and metal fabrication. But there were also competitions in fields such as landscape design, culinary arts and graphic design. The judging was done by specialists in those fields.
The first day was primarily set aside for elementary school students, with the second day devoted to high school and college level competitions, says Skills Ontario chief executive officer Ian Howcroft.
Winners were awarded with gold, silver or bronze medals. There were 50 gold medal winners and they will be going on to compete in the Skills Canada competition in Regina May 29 and 30. As well, $60,000 in monetary awards was handed out.
But those competitions were just one aspect of the event. There were also a number of conferences tailored to a specific audience and featuring a number of keynote speakers.
Included in that roster was a First Nations, Métis and Inuit conference with virtual feeds to remote parts of the province and one for high school guidance counsellors that attracted approximately 425 to 450 participants.
“This is the third year we’ve run that conference. Its purpose is to introduce guidance counsellors to skilled trades’ opportunities so that they, in turn, can assist their students in making career decisions,” says Howcroft.
There were also three young women’s conferences, one for elementary school students, the second one for secondary and post-secondary students, and third one in French. As well, there was a conference on entrepreneurship.
Other highlights included a VIP breakfast on the second day which was attended by Premier Doug Ford and several cabinet ministers. It was at that breakfast the premier announced a $1 billion investment in the Skills Development Fund. Another high point was the closing ceremonies on the third day.
Held annually, the Skills Ontario Competition is the culmination of a series of qualifying competitions the school boards hold to determine which students will be participating in the provincial competition.
Contest “scopes” or outlines are posted on Skills Ontario’s website in early January. They give teachers and competitors a summary of what each specific contest entails.
The competition would not be a success without the dedicated support of approximately 900 volunteers in different capacities, whether working at the Toronto Congress Centre or assisting with the organization and planning, says Howcroft.
“We’re already planning for next year’s event and we have already booked the venue (the Toronto Congress Centre),” says Howcroft, noting the objective is always to diversify the conferences so that there are not repeats from previous years.
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