Winnipeg set to host 2017 Skills Canada competition

The Skills Canada competition featuring more than40 skilled trades andtechnologies is coming to Winnipeg in 2017.

More than 500 youth participants and 18,000 visitors are expected to descend on the Winnipeg convention centre for the annual trades and technology contest.

Participants are students and apprentices from trades training programs across Canada.The event is meant to showcase skilled trades and reinforce the importance trades play in building a strong economy.

"In the next 10 years, there is going to be a demand [in Manitoba] for 12,000 jobs, skilled workers, for the construction industryalone. So it's incredibly important that young people know there is a great job for them.Young people know there is an incredible opportunity in the trades," ManitobaJobs and the Economy Minister Kevin Chief said at an announcement about the event.

Participants compete in local, regional and provincial or territorial events to earn the right to represent their region at the national competition.

Nina Widmer, who wasthe only female masonry student at Red River College when she enrolled in 2012, won a silver medal at the2014 national competition.

"It definitely gives you the confidence to go out into the workforce and show the guys that you do know what you are doing, and you're able to be on their level of workmanship."

Widmer's silver medal was one of 18 medals won by Manitobastudents in the 2014 competition.

"What you see here is an incredible amount of young people that are being able to get it done. They're our future workers that are going to be building our roads and our buildings," said Chief.

The province is providing $100,000 in funding as the lead sponsor of the competition.