The deadline for applications is December 1st.

Find out more.

The State of Michigan’s No Worker Left Behind (NWLB) Initiative got a $100,000 boost from The Grainger Foundation. The donation will support training and education for NWLB students pursuing careers in high-demand traditional trades like HVAC and plumbing as well as emerging trades in the green sector.

Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholme said, “Grainger’s commitment to Michigan is extraordinary. It is precisely this kind of public/private partnership and investment in NWLB scholarships for emerging-sector businesses that will help us train highly- skilled workers for jobs in the 21st century economy.”

“We are proud to support this important initiative to reinvigorate the Michigan workforce,” said Grainger’s Octavia Matthews. “Grainger is excited to help with the retraining of workers throughout Michigan so they are well prepared as they pursue jobs in the skilled trades.”

The Grainger Foundation is funded by W. W. Grainger, Inc., the leading broad line supplier of facilities maintenance products serving North America and China.

Read more about No Worker Left Behind.

Read the press release here.

The newly launched Careers in Energy Video Contest is devoted to
putting energy workers in a new perspective through talent, creativity
and inspiration.

This event gives SkillsUSA members the opportunity to express
themselves positively — and provide education and support to their
peers — through the development of original and compelling videos
about the jobs at electric, gas, and nuclear energy companies.

Get the whole story

The Alberta government is promising $4 million for the purpose of promoting the upcoming WorldSkills Calgary competition to high school students in that province. The money will be used for class trips and the like, for grades 9s and 10s. This funding is in addition to the $24 million the province has already promised in support of WorldSkills 2009, the largest international competition of any kind in Albert since the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.

At the announcement of the funding, Alberta Education Minister Dave Hancock said, “Alberta’s new economy will require a workforce with sound technical training, so we need to start inspiring students now to pursue advanced studies and careers in the trades and technical professions, and an exciting and international event like WorldSkills does just that.”

The province has also earmarked $391,000 to help organizers take their skills show on the road. This show will make presentations and displays at community events in the months leading up to WorldSkills 2009 in September.

The Department of Education has also sent a letter to all school districts requesting that boards consider starting the 2009 -2010 school year on Aug. 27. This should allow schools extra time needed to organize field trips to the competition.

“Having students exposed to an event at this level of quality, we’re hoping not only to open their eyes, but also open their minds to these great careers and lifestyles,” said Guy Mallabone, chairman of WorldSkills Calgary 2009.

Trade school world features massage therapy schools in Alberta, among various other trade schools.

Less than a year from now, “the Olympics of skilled trades” will be underway in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at WorldSkills 2009. Over a thousand trade school students and graduates along with 5000 delegates from over 50 countries will descend on the world class city in the foothills of the Rockies. Events will range from culinary arts to carpentry to computer-aided design and everything in between.

And the hosts are definitely looking forward to it. WorldSkills 2009 will be “a terrific opportunity for Calgarians to see supremely talented individuals from around the world showcasing their skills in a competitive arena,” says the chair of Chair of WorldSkills Calgary 2009, Guy Mallabone.

The skills competition will be using Calgary Stampede Park. Over 150,000 spectators are expected to watch various events. 30,000 motel rooms have been reserved in anticipation of the influx of people from around the world. WorldSkills is about two thirds the size of the Vancouver Olympics and will be bigger than the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.

While the scale is “Olympian,” the true value of competition ought to be seen as far more important. “Like the Olympics, we are playing host to the world – unlike the Olympics we are completely focused on skills that contribute to the economy and an individual’s employability in a global market,” says Richard Walker, President and CEO of WorldSkills Calgary 2009. He added that Calgary ought to be very proud to host this event, last held in Tokyo and next being held in London (2011). “This is the ‘big show’ when it comes to exhibiting global talent in technology and skilled trades.”

Want to know more?

-   The first competition was held in 1950 in Madrid, Spain. Canada last hosted the WorldSkills Competition in Montréal in 1999 at the Olympic Stadium.
-   Every two years, over 1,000 competitors from 50 member countries/regions gather to compete in over 48 skill categories ranging from welding, cooking, auto body repair and landscape gardening to beauty care and web design.
-   The competition attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors including public policy makers, government representatives, employers, teachers, trainers and experts from around the world.

To learn more go to http://www.worldskills2009.com

In Kansas City, they were sweating.

“You know what’s happening in my stomach right now?” area trade school instructor and coach H.R. Thomas asked. “If you were in there, you’d be screaming to get out.”

The convention in Kentucky has grown every year, so much that Skills USA has decided to move the venue to Louisville from its current Kansas City location. The convention is the largest of its kind in the area, drawing nearly 10,000 registrants.

All across the country, Skills USA held weeklong competitions.

Meanwhile in Georgia, trade school students were cheering

One of the toughest competitions had to be in criminal justice. Roswell, GA’s Holly Groover from Centennial High School took home the high school gold. Meanwhile, post-secondary web design gold was won by Illinois Central College.

Don Roberts of the Excelsior Springs Area Career Center said SkillsUSA “teaches leadership abilities, how to work within a team with others, and how to compete. We have kids who come to us who won’t look you in the eye and will barely speak to you. After they’ve been through this program, they develop confidence and ability, and some will become leaders of the school.”

Thomas agreed: “I’ve had students come back five years later and tell me they got their job because they had SkillsUSA on their resume, and the other applicants didn’t.”

To read about all the winners go to the Skills USA website.

To learn more about criminal justice view our criminal justice schools.

http://industrialconstructionhr.blogspot.com/2008/05/construction-expo.html

Click here to learn more about construction schools .

There are some inspiring stories of pioneering women in skilled trades and other stories that’ll get you pumped to make the jump to trade school in this article about the Oregon Tradeswomen’s 16th annual Women in Trades career fair. The story is here.

SkillsUSA is inviting all its chapters to participate in the celebration of its founding by planning a community service project for the first full week of May. SkillsUSA was founded as The Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, Inc. (VICA) in 1965.

You can view a gallery of last year’s projects at http://www.skillsusa.org/events/service.shtml

Pamela Crews always felt that there should be more women in the construction trades. Now Crews has teamed up with other women to form and incorporate Missouri Women in Trades. Read more here.