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27 September 2016

WorldSkills Leaders Forum in Niagara Falls

Join us 4 October 2016 for the WorldSkills Leaders Forum in Niagara Falls, Canada. The WorldSkills Leaders Forum is a global platform bringing together skill and vocational education thought leaders to share perspectives on the future of education and training.

Registration information available at www.worldskills2016.com/leaders-forum.

WorldSkills Leaders Forum features three key note speakers:

Pavel Luksha a Professor of Practice at the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO, and has managed educational programmes for leaders in innovation, future education, and research and development. Mr. Luksha’s speaking points will include:

  • How major forces such as automation, digitalization, and “greening” of industries are transforming the global landscape of labour markets.
  • Insight in the sessions conducted by Global Education Futures, in collaboration with WorldSkills International, featuring leaders from 35 countries and their vision of skills of the future in manufacturing, services, and urban-related work sectors.
  • How the demand for a workforce that possesses “skills of the future” will require new education methods and training institutions.

Lori Foster, PhD is a Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at North Carolina State University (USA) and the University of Cape Town (South Africa). She currently serves as a behavioral sciences advisor to the United Nations and a Fellow with the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team. The world of work is changing rapidly, and the WorldSkills model is uniquely placed to overcome the challenges it presents. Dr. Foster will share insight from working with the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team, on how WorldSkills Members and other skills leaders can benefit from virtual and online technologies including:

  • The ability to measure motivations, skills, and vocational interests online.
  • The power of computer adaptive testing.
  • The utility of virtual simulations in training.
  • The potential of harnessing big data.

Kayleen McCabe hosted the DIY Network series Rescue Renovation for five seasons. She founded The McCabe Foundation, a non-profit that tightens America’s skills gap by encouraging young men and women alike to consider careers in the World’s most undervalued, unfilled sector: the trades. Ms. McCabe’s speaking points will include:

  •  The role of vocational training in 20th and 21st century American secondary education system.
  • Discussion of contemporary economic and cultural factors that are prompting a slight resurgence in skilled labour training.
  • How the role of the modern skilled worker is changing.
  • The social challenges women face as they pursue trade careers.
  • Steps that can be taken to assimilate women into the trades and position the trades as desirable options for more women.

Each of the three keynote addresses will be followed by panel discussions and interactive question and answer periods. The panelists are made up of representatives of industry, partners and youth and will include:

  • David Zdrojewski – Fixturlaser
  • Boyd Parsons – Air Canada
  • Chuck Wood – Volvo Construction Equipment
  • John Gall – St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council
  • Trina Vitolianos – Shawcor, Representing CEPA Foundation
  • Matthew Bell – Autodesk
  • Tayla Schou – WorldSkills Champions Trust – Representative for Africa
  • Gary Condon – WorldSkills Champions Trust - Representative for Asia
  • Rachel Chua – WorldSkills Champions Trust – Representative for Oceania

The day will wrap up with the Leader’s Forum Networking Café where audience members and participants will have an opportunity to interact in a more social setting and ask further questions. 

The Leaders Forum is part of the WorldSkills General Assembly, a week long global platform for WorldSkills community to meet including the Global Partners, Competition and Strategy Committees, and Communication Officers. For the first time, this event will be co-hosted by two countries, led by SkillsUSA and Skills/Compétences Canada.

For more information on the WorldSkills General Assembly 2016 visit the General Assembly website.