Members of the Skills Community Gather at John F. Kennedy High School and John F. Kennedy Adult Education Centre, in Montréal, QC, for the 19th National Skilled Trade and Technology Week


OTTAWA, Nov. 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skills/Compétences Canada (SCC) is proud to celebrate the 19th National Skilled Trade and Technology Week (NSTTW), aimed at raising awareness to students and educators about the incredible skilled trade and technology career opportunities available across Canada.

SCC hosted an event to highlight NSTTW on November 8th, at John F. Kennedy High School and John F. Kennedy Adult Education Centre. Special guests included: Dr. Patrick Rouble, President, Skills/Compétences Canada, Nick Katalifos, Director General, English Montreal School Board, Cynthia Gauthier, Monster Jam Rider, and Tommaso Maffei, Skills/Compétences Canada Alumni and Bronze Medalist in secondary Cabinetmaking at the 2023 Skills Canada National Competition, in Winnipeg. Skills/Compétences Canada was also happy to announce that the 2024 Skills Canada National Competition will be hosted in Quebec City, on May 30 and 31, at Expocité.

Following the official program, approximately 400 students from local schools participated in around 15 Try-A-Trade® and Technology activities hosted by educators and industry experts. These activities ranged from cooking, welding, to car painting, just to name a few. Throughout the day, students learned about the interesting and important educational pathways and career opportunities in several different trade and technology sectors. Also highlighted at the event was the importance of Reading, one of the Skills for Success identified as fundamental to working in the skilled trade and technology industries. For more information on the Skills for Sucess visit the Skills for Success Website.

“National Skilled Trade and Technology Week is a key date for Skills/Compétences Canada as it raises awareness of the rewarding careers that exist in the skilled trades and technologies to Canadian youth. There is a growing demand for skilled workers in our country, and events like these allow us to promote these excellent career pathways to our future workforce”, said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer of Skills/Compétences Canada.

During the week, SCC’s provincial/territorial Member Organizations across the country will host a series of events to promote skilled trade and technology activities in Canada.

For more information, visit the NSTTW webpage on the SCC website.

According to Statistics Canada’s latest estimate, about 700,000 skilled trade workers are expected to retire between 2019 and 2028, creating an ever-growing need to recruit and train thousands more.

About Skills/Compétences Canada
Skills Canada was founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization with Member Organizations in each of the provinces/territories that work with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trade and technology careers among Canadian youth. Its unique position among private and public sector partners enables it to work toward securing Canada’s future skilled labour needs while helping young people discover rewarding careers. Skills Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trade and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trade awareness programs. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Skills Canada is the Canadian Member organization of WorldSkills. For more information, visit www.skillscanada.com or call 877-754-5226.

Follow Skills/Compétences Canada on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Instagram. #NSTTW2023

Media Contact: Michèle Rogerson, 613-266-4771, micheler@skillscanada.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cd234020-c14c-4bf5-8fd2-0f832d3bb694


Special guests gathered at John F. Kennedy High School and John F. Kennedy Adult Education Centre, in Montreal, to celebrate National Skilled Trade and Technology Week (NSTTW)