6 February 2011
The 41st Olympiades des Métiers in Paris
By WorldSkills International
The 41st WorldSkills France National Competition was held at Porte de Versailles in the heart of Paris, France. The Competitors raced through the final day finishing the last details of their test projects.
It’s estimated that 100,000 visitors have walked through the glass doors of the Competition venue. The visitors have observed 750 Competitors competing in 48 skill areas spread out over 50,000m2. The Competition floor offered numerous options for obtaining more information about career opportunities and advice in skilled trades and technologies.
The Opening Ceremony was held on February 2, 2011 at the Palais des Sports and was attended by 2,500 people. Marie-Thérèse Geffroy, President of WorldSkills France and Vice President Strategic Affairs of the WorldSkills International (WSI), spoke to the Competitors and congratulated the them for their commitment to professional training and expertise.
Among the Competitors and their Experts there were a number of international visitors. Other WSI Member countries/regions have already held their national competitions and have sent their WorldSkills Competitors abroad to gain more competition experience and share best practise with fellow experts in their skill. The Member countries/regions that have taken this opportunity are Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
"From WorldSkills International’s perspective engaging and interacting with our Members and their stakeholders at their national skills competition, like we are doing here at WorldSkills France, is greatly beneficial. We see this as a great opportunity to work closely with our Members as a true reflection of our Mission working collaboratively to promote and raise the profile of skills, trades and technologies. By having 9 of our Members represented here with Competitors and Experts gearing up to WorldSkills London 2011, it provides an international learning exchange. We see this happening more and more among our membership and it is what WorldSkills is all about: global exchange and promotion of skills and knowledge."
- David Hoey, CEO, WorldSkills International
Canada participated in 4 skill areas during the French Nationals.
"For our WorldSkills Team Canada Competitors, these experiences are invaluable in the training process leading up to WorldSkills London 2011. Together with their trainers, Experts and supporters, being at other foreign competitions brings a sense of reality to the amount of knowledge and expertise required to ensure personal success on the World Stage."
- Christianne Scholfield, Director, Pan-Canadian Communications for Skills/Compétences Canada
Besides competing in 4 skill areas, WorldSkills Australia has also sent their Team Leader and Technical Delegate to WSI: Australia’s Technical Delegate to WSI, John Shiel, had this feedback on the last couple of days:
"We are here to give the Competitors the opportunity to compete in front of the public. When they train at home in Australia they train in a small college in their town and this gives them and us a great opportunity to see where their training level is at this point and exposes them to a major national competition."
The Closing Ceremony took place at the Palais des Sports, Saturday, February 5 and determined who will become a part of Team France for WorldSkills London 2011 in October this year. With a excited crowd of 3,800 people strong, it was an entertaining and rewarding night and we wish all of the Competitors the best of luck on their final journey and preparation for London.
For more information visit: www.worldskills-france.org.