Day 2 of Competition

Well, day 2 at WorldSkills Calgary 2009. And the heat is on. The unseasonal Alberta heatwave continues. The competitors are really getting into their stride. And the time has come to share my thoughts on proceedings……

I’m the marketing director at Edge, the independent education foundation which supports Team UK. And what or who are Edge? Well, we’re here to help raise the status of practical & vocational learning. Simply put, we believe that there are many paths to success. Sitting here at the Calgary Stampede showground, I’m surrounded by living, breathing proof that talent will out, that these young people are the people we’ve been waiting for, and that successful paths will be forged, if given the chance.

Oddly enough, what’s really struck me most so far, is this. Not just the sheer technical competence (nay, brilliance) of the young competitors here. Nor even the discipline required to deliver world-class outputs on-time and on-specification. What has really struck me is the passion for task around here. These young people believe in their talents, they are hourly liberating their talents, and they are clearly having the time of their lives doing so. The intensity of their focus is palpable. The sheer effort invested is all too obvious. And the joy of delivering the next stage of their tasks is transparent and tangible.

This, surely is what working life, and a lifetime career, should be about. Discovering your talent. Being the best you can be in your chosen field. Delivering excellently.   And loving every moment of it. WorldSkills Calgary is a wonderful microcosm of what a career and life journey can be. It is a reminder to us all to never accept mediocrity, but to continually shoot for excellence – and find our own path to success.

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