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Event promotes careers

Daniel T'seleie
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 21/04) - The sixth annual Skills Canada Competition drew 180 participants to Yellowknife last week to showcase their skills in everything from carpentry to computer networking.

Top finishers in the Skills Canada Competition will be eligible to represent the NWT/Nunavut team at the national Skills Canada Competition in Winnipeg in May.

Skills Canada is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting careers in skilled trades and technology.

Many of the volunteers involved in the event are contractors and trades workers from Yellowknife.

"They've seen first hand the need for skilled trades people," said Guy Barnable, executive director for Skills Canada NWT/NU.

Bill Aho, technical chair of the plumbing competition, has been organizing the plumbing competition for the last three years.

"It's a lot of fun," Aho said.

"It's very focused on what trades and vocations are available in the North."

The competition is a dynamic event though, and can change from year to year.

Skills Canada checks with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to see how many apprentices are in each field before deciding whether to hold a competition in that field.

They are also open to input from territorial residents.

Anyone who would like to see a specific competition category in next year's event should contact Skills Canada NWT/NU.