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Loyalist Presents Skills Competition For Secondary School Students

February 28, 2012

Loyalist College Presents Its First Multi-Trade Skills Competition For Secondary School Students 

To promote career opportunities in skilled trades, Loyalist College is hosting a Skills Competition on Thursday, March 1st for more than 90 students in grades 11 and 12. The young people will be competing on behalf of ten schools from four District School Boards, including Hastings Prince Edward, Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic, Kawartha Pine Ridge, and Limestone. Sponsored by Trenval Business Development Corporation, the event will build awareness and excitement around the possibilities of a future working in skilled trades. 

Several competitions will occur simultaneously throughout the day, representing a wide range of skills from Architectural Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD) and Automotive to Precision Machining, Aesthetics, Welding, and Carpentry. Depending on the category, the number of participants ranges from two to 24 young people. Using Skills Canada standards, a panel of industry experts will judge the students on their performance, as well as a short interview. The winners in each event will be awarded Loyalist College scholarships in the amounts of $1,000 for first place, $600 for second place, and $400 for third place. A number of businesses and industries are helping to support the event, which is being promoted by the East Central Ontario Training Board (ECOTB). 

“With a labour shortage expected to peak within the next ten to 20 years, young people today are the solution for a secure future,” said Tom Malloy, Dean of Skills Training, Access, Continuing Education, Architecture & Building Science at Loyalist College. “To ensure that they have the skills required for tomorrow’s increasingly complex jobs, we are extending our high quality training and education to more students. We have the capacity to support additional students in our new Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre. During this event, secondary students, as well as their parents and teachers, will get to experience our equipment and services firsthand, and to speak with our industry experts about how Loyalist can prepare them for a successful career.”

What:  Loyalist College Skills Competition for Secondary Students    
When:     Thursday, March 1st  

9:00 a.m. All competitions begin

4:00 p.m. All competitions end 

5:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony in the Cafeteria 
Where:   Loyalist College Campus

Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre 

“Our students are looking forward to the Skills Competition," says Jim Trevisan, teacher at Bayside Secondary School. “The opportunity to demonstrate their technical skills in a professional forum at Loyalist College will give students a real sense of accomplishment and allow them to see how valued their skills are. This competition could be all it takes to spark their interest in advancing their skills through post-secondary education. It’s also great practice for the Ontario Technological Competition which will take place this spring.”

Younger students from secondary schools across the region will also have an opportunity to learn more about the College and career options during the Science, Engineering, and Technology Ultimate Pathways (SETUP) event on Thursday, March 1st for 60 grade ten students and on Friday, March 2nd for 115 grades seven and eight students. They will participate in three sessions, chosen from a selection of nine, which will be taught by Loyalist College staff. 

Loyalist College is also hosting a two-day enrichment opportunity called Student Success @ Loyalist. The 80 students attending on either Tuesday, February 28th or Wednesday, February 29th will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the College, programs, the Disability Services office and other Student Success services available at Loyalist. 

These programs, supported through the Ontario Ministry of Education and Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities School-to-College-to-Work Initiative, are a project of the Partnering to Articulate Student Success (PASS) Regional Planning Team.

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To schedule an interview or confirm media attendance at the event, please contact: Kerry Lorimer, Media Relations Specialist, Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2536

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