UK Wins Skills Olympics for 2011
Ever been to an old fashioned lumber-jacks meeting where competitors line up to test their skills at log rolling, tree felling and clever things with axes? I have; it's hairy stuff - one slip and a big toe can go flying, or there you are in the river, 'Sorry but I meant it!' Such blurring of work and sport provide good fun for the masses, even if chopping blocks of wood will never quite capture the adulation of scoring goals for England.
They can serve a practical purpose however. My Canadian friends tell me these meetings were initially sponsored by logging companies to occupy their workers and challenge them to ever higher perfection and speed in their daily work. So that's alright then. A little bit of competition makes the world go around!
The same, hopefully less risky, principles underlie the philosophy of the WorldSkills Competition, which will be coming to London following the UK winning the bid to become host. Countries (rather than cities) bid for these games, and the UK beat off strong competition from Australia and Sweden to carry the day. Voting took place in May among delegates from the 38 member nations of the organisation attending the WorldSkills Annual General Meeting in Melbourne. Hands up who noticed the ticker tape in Trafalgar Square the following day?
It may not have quite the excitement of a tree lopper shinning up a 100 feet Douglas fir or a cowpoke hanging on to the back of a bucking steer, but WorldSkills is a modern equivalent to shout about. It is the largest skills competition in the world in fact, with 40 countries participating. Medals are won in skills areas ranging from hairdressing and beauty therapy to landscape skills and welding.
Following the UK's win, the competition will take place at the ExCeL Centre in London between 6 and 9 October, 2011. Education and skills secretary Alan Johnson, said: 'This is wonderful news. We now have a unique chance with the government, business and the education sector working closely together to raise the status of skills and vocational education dramatically and inspire a new generation of youngsters to take up good careers in all sectors of the economy.'
Chris Humphries, chairman of UK Skills, the organisation which spearheaded the UK bid, was similarly upbeat. 'This is such an achievement for the UK. We now have the foundations to raise the profile of WorldSkills in the UK and at a global level,' he said.
So what will it mean and how will it compare with the real Olympic games in size and grandeur? Some 700 young people will be competing in the events, which include 40 different skills. They will be judged on speed and quality of work. Entrants are selected from those who have excelled at regional and national skills competitions. Bricklayers will be building walls that are meant to last as well as placing down their bricks in double quick time. Hairdressers will be coming up with imaginative and elaborate hairdos as well as applying their techniques with a deftness of touch that Mr Teezy Wheezy would envy.
And like competitive athletes, the skills contestants strive for ever higher goals. They train intensively for several months before a 'play-off' to get into their national teams. Coaches and sports psychologists will doubtless find their roles as sous chefs, carpenters and car mechanics each vie for places in their respective squads. The organisers retain a discreet silence on dope testing, though it is thought that these games will be the cleanest ever - offenders will be sent for service with the Chinese Laundry team!
The Skills Olympics has its serious side of course, as will be obvious. The aim of the event is to 'raise the profile and status of vocational skills, technicians and specialist crafts to a wider audience.' Successful competitors are awarded medals, as in the Olympics. In the same way as Lord Coe told us he was inspired by watching Olympic Athletes at the Mexico Olympics in 1968, perhaps youngsters in future might admit to their imagination being captured by the magic of the welding torch, the deftness of the spanner or the elegance of the cake decorating squeeze bag on display in London in 2011. Why not? We all get inspiration from somewhere.
Youngsters hoping to make their real Olympic games teams a year later, might decide to opt for the WorldSkills games as a safer option. Well, perhaps not, but don't knock it. It doesn't have to be 'either, or,' and it would be interesting to see whether someone could manage a unique double medal in a skill and Olympics event.
Now, there's a thought; which combination of Olympic sport and skill offer the most potential for two way training transfer? Throwing the hammer and tossing pancakes perhaps? Ideas by email (or on a post card please) to chris@jamesball.net. A holiday in Majorca, or a Cullen Scholefield pen (our choice) goes to the lucky winner!
1 September 2006
