5 December 2016
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Cork Institute of Technology is set to host the IrelandSkills National Competition this week from 6th – 8th December 2016.
The 2017 competition, which will take place from December 6th – 8th 2016, will have competitions in eight skills. A number of this year’s winners will have the opportunity to represent Ireland in the WorldSkills Competition which will take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in October 2017.
The skills being showcased at CIT, which will be held in their respective workshops on the Bishopstown Campus, are: Automobile Technology; Carpentry; Construction Plant Fitting; Electrical Installation; Industrial Control; Joinery; Metal Fabrication and Dry Wall & Plastering Systems.
Competitors who compete in the IrelandSkills competition are selected from their respective trade background, based on their competence and ability to complete test projects to the highest international standards, under pressure from fixed time schedules and a requirement for precise dimensions and controls.
The annual IrelandSkills Competition is one of the most prestigious events in the crafts calendar. It attracts the best trainee crafts persons from around the country to compete for first place in Ireland and win the coveted Department of Education and Skills, Silver Medal in their respective skill areas.
From the skills training perspective, the IrelandSkills National Competition provides a magnificent opportunity to showcase the relentless commitment to the training and development of highly skilled crafts persons within the Irish education system.
In the 2015, at the WorldSkills Competition held in São Paulo Brazil, an Irish team of 14 competitors competed against 55 countries and achieved 11th place overall, winning two Gold medals and eight Medallions of Excellence. This continues the trend of Irish craft people consistently achieving outstanding results at the WorldSkills competition. Since 1957, when Ireland first entered the competition, the Irish team has won a total of 61 Gold, 53 Silver, and 79 Bronze.
The IrelandSkills Competition is open to the public and visitors are welcome to view and savour the high levels of craftsmanship on display along with the tense competitive atmosphere. CIT recommends that you visit the campus on Wednesday 7th December, as the projects will be at an advanced stage.
The winners will be presented with trophies at an award ceremony, which will take place on Friday 9th December, 2016, on CIT’s Bishopstown Campus.
