Skills Canada (French: Compétences Canada) is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of careers in technology and skilled trades. One of their major initiatives is the annual Skills Canada National Competition. This is an Olympic-style event in which competitors from across the country take part in various skilled trades and technology contests. Each Canadian province and territory has its own chapter of Skills Canada and they hold qualifying provincial competitions in their respective areas to determine their provincial and territorial candidates who will participate at the annual Canadian event.

Competitors may participate at either the secondary, post-secondary, or Team Canada level. The purpose of Skills Canada is to promote skilled careers in trades and technologies to youth and the future generation.

Canada is experiencing a shortage of skilled labourers, and Skills Canada hopes to fill in that gap. The baby boom generation has reached retirement age and the country is having difficulty retaining workers, adding to the shortage. Competitions are held at the provincial and territorial levels, with the best competitors from each province reaching the national event. Biannually, the top competitors in the country are invited to represent Canada at the WorldSkills competition, an international event hosted by WorldSkills International[1] which is attended by competitors from 85 member countries and regions.[2]

Competition areas edit

Areas of competition at the annual Skills Canada National Competition are divided into six sectors. These sectors and competitions are:[3]

Construction Sector edit

Employment Sector edit

Information Technology edit

Manufacturing and Engineering Sector edit

Services Sector edit

Transportation Sector edit

Competitions edit

To date, 27 Skills Canada National Competitions have been held. In 2020 the event had been scheduled to be held in Vancouver, British Columbia but it was cancelled owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next competition will be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2023.

Event City Province Year
28 Winnipeg Manitoba 2023
27 Vancouver British Columbia 2022
26 (Virtual) 2021
25 Halifax Nova Scotia 2019
24 Edmonton Alberta 2018
23 Winnipeg Manitoba 2017
22 Moncton New Brunswick 2016
21 Saskatoon Saskatchewan 2015
20 Toronto Ontario 2014
19 Vancouver British Columbia 2013
18 Edmonton Alberta 2012
17 Quebec City Quebec 2011
16 Waterloo Ontario 2010
15 Charlottetown Prince Edward Island 2009
14 Calgary Alberta 2008
13 Saskatoon Saskatchewan 2007
12 Halifax Nova Scotia 2006
11 Edmonton Alberta 2005
10 Winnipeg Manitoba 2004
9 Kitchener Ontario 2003
8 Vancouver British Columbia 2002
7 Edmonton Alberta 2001
6 Quebec City Quebec 2000
5 Kitchener Ontario 1999
4 Vancouver British Columbia 1998
3 Red Deer Alberta 1997
2 Montreal Quebec 1996
1 Hamilton Ontario 1994

References edit

  1. ^ "WorldSkills". www.worldskills.org. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  2. ^ "Member Countries and Regions | WorldSkills". www.worldskills.org. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
  3. ^ "SCNC 2019 Competition Documents - Skills Competences Canada". Skills Competences Canada. Retrieved 2018-11-07.

External links edit