WorldSkills Calgary 2009 | About the Competition

The WorldSkills Competition is the biggest skills competition in the world!

Over its 50 year history, the WorldSkills Competition (formerly known as the ‘Skill Olympics’) has come to symbolize the pinnacle of excellence in skilled trades and technologies training.

Every two years, hundreds of young competitors from all over the world gather to compete in this international event. Over four days of competition, over 900 competitors drawn from 49 member countries/regions test themselves against tough international standards. They come to WorldSkills to prove they are the world’s best.

The WorldSkills Competition sets world class standards in over 40 skill categories ranging from welding to cooking, autobody repair to landscape gardening, plumbing to web design.

The WorldSkills Competition draws hundreds of thousands of visitors including policy makers, government representatives, employers, teachers, trainers and experts from around the world.

The World is coming to Calgary!

Calgary will host the 40th WorldSkills Competition, marking its second time in Canada (1999, Montreal) and third time only in North America (1981, Atlanta). The Calgary Competition is proposed for September 1st to 14th, 2009, with competition dates scheduled from September 1st to 6th, 2009.

Quick Facts:

The dates of the competition are September 1-6, 2009.
900 competitors from 49 member countries will compete (20 languages).
40 skill categories plus up to eight demonstration skill categories will be presented.
The competition venue is Stampede Park.
800,000 square feet of competition space is needed.
5,000 international experts, delegates and judges will gather from around the world.
3,000 volunteers will be recruited to assist in the Lead-Up and Launch.
150,000 student and public spectators will attend the competition.
Parallel events to the competition include Opening and Closing Ceremonies, each drawing 10,000 people, a World Leaders’ Forum, and a Global Skills Village.
The competitors will be housed in a Competitors’ Village, located on SAIT Campus.

It's Big!

6 days
40 skill categories
49 member countries
900 competitors
3,000 volunteers
5,000 international experts, delegates and judges
30,000 hotel room nights
150,000 student and public spectators
800,000 square feet of competition space

More information about...

Creative Arts & Fashion

The "Creative Arts & Fashion" category covers all the skilled areas that are related to fine arts and fashionable design and creation. This encompasses everything from multi-media creative, interior decoration and fashion. The competition areas included in this area are: Jewellery, Floristry, Ladies" Dressmaking and Graphic Design Technology.