Building the Olympics: behind the scenes

Although skilled tradespeople and technologists are not competing in the Sochi 2014 Olympics, it could not have happened without them. When you think about it, every piece of the Olympic venues were created by someone with skills related to almost every WorldSkills skill category.

The designs and graphics of the Sochi 2014 brand were created by people with Graphic Design and Print Media Technology skills. Working together with them to maintain the brand online and around the city were Web Designers and Painters and Decorators.

With all the visitors and competitors in town and on a schedule, many Cooks, Pastry Cooks, and Restaurant Servers are kept busy. Long working hours and being in the media spotlight puts a demand on Beauty Therapists, Hairdressers, and Health and Social Care Workers. Speaking of media, the flow of mass quantities of information going in and out of Sochi requires people with IT Network Systems Administration and Information Network Cabling skills to be available at all times to ensure things run smoothly.

The venues at Sochi 2014 such as the ‘Ice Dome’, the ‘Ice Cube’, and the ‘Iceberg’ took many months of planning and developing for several different skilled tradespeople in the Construction and Building industry to build. From Landscape Gardeners ensuring the exteriors were welcoming, to Construction Metal Workers and Welders building the framework, to Electricians and Plumbers making it functional, these places were literally built from the ground up by skilled tradespeople. Special mention to the Refrigeration, Heating and Air Conditioning Mechanics who ensure the temperatures are up to precise standards in all areas, making it a Winter Olympics that the world can enjoy.

As we all sit watching the events unfold in Sochi, take a moment to appreciate the magnificence behind the athletes and what it takes to give them the best Olympics possible. These Olympic games demonstrate the height of skills excellence and show how all the skilled tradespeople, technologists and professionals are improving our world with the power of skills.