LEIPZIG, Germany, July 8, 2013 /CNW/ - (WORLDSKILLS LEIPZIG 2013) - After the completion of four days of international competition, WorldSkills Team Canada 2013 proudly took the podium at the closing ceremony of WorldSkills Leipzig 2013 to receive official recognition for their achievements. Made up of 27 male and 8 female competitors, ranging in age from 17 to 22, Team Canada took Gold in the Heating and Refrigeration category and was awarded 14 Medallions of Excellence; complete results included below. Michael Scheideman, a Team Canada competitor from Grand Prairie, Alberta won the 'Best of Nation' award.
"Preparing for WorldSkills Leipzig 2013 has required months of training, hard work and dedication by the 35 young members who make up WorldSkills Team Canada 2013," said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer, Skills/Compétences Canada. "We are exceptionally proud of their outstanding performance and look forward to seeing their careers flourish. We are also grateful to our sponsors and partners for their ongoing support which is integral in building Canada's skilled trade workforce".
The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development offered congratulations to all of the members of Team Canada. "You've proven to be the best in our country. I am personally very proud that you are representing Canada on the world stage. We need young people like you, who excel in your field, to bring your talent into the workforce. The trades, technologies and service industries are growing. And we need to keep up with that growth. Our government is helping young Canadians like you by offering grants, tax credits and support for training programs, like apprenticeships. We want to encourage even more young people to learn a trade -whether it's carpentry, cooking or Web design - and bring those skills to the job market. Congratulations once again and I wish you all the very best of luck in the competition and for the future ahead!"
WorldSkills Leipzig 2013 represents Canada's twelfth participation in a WorldSkills Competition, a biannual international event which brings together the world's most talented skilled trades and technology competitors. This year's Competition brought together more than 1000 competitors from 53 Member countries/regions, making it the largest ever Competition of its kind. Team Canada 2013 represented one of the largest delegations Canada has ever sent to WorldSkills, with competitors in 32 of the 46 skills categories.
TEAM CANADA RESULTS
WorldSkills Leipzig 2013
| Competitor Name | Skill Category | WorldSkills Leipzig Medal or Award | Hometown, Province/Territory |
| Michael Scheideman | Refrigeration and Air Conditioning | Gold Medal | Grande Prairie, AB |
| Jessica Lapointe | Web Design | Medallion of Excellence | Chicoutimi, QC |
| David Gagnon | Electrical Installations | Medallion of Excellence | Eastman, QC |
| Zachary Hartle | Industrial Control | Medallion of Excellence | Calgary, AB |
| Jacob Bell | Bricklaying | Medallion of Excellence | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Bo Chiasson / Jayden Leister | Mobile Robotics | Medallion of Excellence | Yorkton, SK |
| Donna Lu | Fashion Technology | Medallion of Excellence | Vancouver, BC |
| Mélodie Perez-Mousseau | Confectioner/Pastry Cook | Medallion of Excellence | Lavaltrie, QC |
| Tyler Kenyon | Automobile Technology | Medallion of Excellence | Millet, AB |
| Maxime Fortin | Cooking | Medallion of Excellence | Quebec, QC |
| Maxime Renaud | Restaurant Service | Medallion of Excellence | Saint-Tite des Caps, QC |
| Jean-Philippe Desbiens | IT Network Systems Administration | Medallion of Excellence | Terrebonne, QC |
| Isabelle Bélanger | Graphic Design Technology | Medallion of Excellence | Saint-Côme-Linière, QC |
| Dylan Pereira | Aircraft Maintenance | Medallion of Excellence | Winnipeg, MB |
| Nicolas Kitt | Welding | Medallion of Excellence | Okotoks, AB |
Note - Medallion of Excellence winners received point scores over 500
About Skills/Compétences Canada
Skills/Compétences Canada was founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization that works with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trades 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/Compétences Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trades and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trades awareness programs. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Skills/Compétences Canada is the Canadian Member organization of WorldSkills International. For more information visit www.skillscanada.com or call 877-754-5226.
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Image with caption: "Team Canada in Leipzig Germany on the first day of the WorldSkills 2013 Competition (CNW Group/SKILLS/COMPETENCES CANADA)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130708_C5908_PHOTO_EN_28833.jpg
SOURCE: SKILLS/COMPETENCES CANADA
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