July 8, 2013 – Diane Finley, Canada’s minister of human resources & skills development (HRSDC), congratulated the Canadian participants and medalists at the WorldSkills Competition held in Leipzig, Germany.

“Skills competitions are an exceptional showcase for talented young competitors, and they inspire other young people to explore careers in these high-demand fields,” said Finley. “I am personally very proud of these young people who have represented our country so well on the international stage.”

WorldSkills is a biennial event showcasing the abilities of hundreds of skilled young workers from around the world in various trades, technology and service industries. Over 1000 participants, including 35 members of Team Canada, competed for medals at the event. The team won a Gold medal in the Heating & Refrigeration category, as well as 14 Medallions of Excellence.

Skills/Compétences Canada (S/CC) coordinates annual skills competitions and selects and prepares competitors for the WorldSkills Competition. The 44th competition is being held August 2015 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.