Nova Scotia Scores Best Ever in National Skills Competition

EDUCATION--Nova Scotia Scores Best Ever in National Skills Competition

Team Nova Scotia has returned from the Canadian Skills Competition in Edmonton with nine medals, including two gold.

From May 31 to June 3, the Nova Scotia team competed against several hundred youths from across Canada in technical tasks in their trades or technologies. The team, composed of 28 secondary and post-secondary students and apprentices, beat its previous record of five medals.

"We should be proud of the young men and women who represented our province at this competition," said Education Minister Jane Purves. "Developing a skilled workforce is a priority of this government, and we''ve obviously got something to celebrate. These awards reflect the quality of our teachers and schools, as well as of the competitors who''ve brought home the medals."

Students compete at local, regional and provincial events to win the right to represent their provinces at the Canadian Skills Competition.

Nine Team Nova Scotia members won medals in eight competitions:

Gold - Precision Machining - post-secondary Ian Pearce, Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), Institute of Technology Campus, Halifax

Gold - Culinary Arts - post-secondary Bee Choo Loveridge, apprentice at the Prince George Hotel, Halifax

Silver - Worksite Safety Jill Bishop, Memorial High School, Sydney Mines

Bronze - TV/Video Production - secondary Paul Doucette and Brad Miller, Prince Andrew High School, Dartmouth

Bronze - Architectural Computer Aided Drafting and Design - post- secondary Adam Milligan, NSCC, Institute of Technology Campus, Halifax

Bronze - Carpentry - secondary Trevor Creaser, Parkview Education Centre, Bridgewater

Bronze - Electronics - post-secondary Chris Mahaney, NSCC, Institute of Technology Campus, Halifax

Bronze - PC Network - post-secondary Adam LeDue, Cobequid Education Centre, Truro

More than 200 Nova Scotia high school, college and apprenticeship-level students participated in 25 skilled trade, technological and employability-skill contest areas before the national competition.

Skills Canada-Nova Scotia organized the provincial-level competition. The not-for-profit organization works with employers, educators, labour groups and government to encourage trade and technical careers as a first-choice career option for Canadian youth.