ArcticSkills 2018 in Tornio

ArcticSkills 2018 in Tornio.

Final round for the best trade skilled students in the Barents region.

The international trade skills competition, ArcticSkills, has set its arenas in Tornio this year, more precisely to the campus of the Vocational College Lappia, on the 17th and 18th of April.

This is the third time students from the Barents region gather for a sharp competition, and so far, it seems to become the biggest event in the short history of ArcticSkills

Focus on trade skills

The Finnish competitors come from Tornio, Inari, Rovaniemi and Kemi. Norwegian students from Kirkenes, Alta, Kautokeino and Vardø form a strong team, and almost every school in the Murmansk region are represented. The competition just cannot be more “Barents”! To underline the arctic dimension there will be competitors from Tajmyr in Siberia. In addition, the Swedes will compete in ArcticSkills for the first time. Swedish students come from Haparanda.

For the moment, we do not know the exact number of participants, but the organizing committee is prepared to welcome 120 competitors and experts. In addition, guests from various companies, branches and organizations involved in developing the trade skills, will join the tournament. The committee has also planned to organize a bus transportation for an audience of 1500 pupils from schools in the Tornio district.

Undoubtedly, the tournament will put focus on the trade skills in the Barents region.

A comprehensive program

The program comprehends a diversity of events, and they are all gathered on the exciting campus of Lappia. The competitors and experts start their preparation Tuesday morning. The competitors have trained together with their teachers long before they enter the arenas, but it is important to get acquainted with the workshops and tools, and especially, the criteria of assessment. This is important for fair play.

The opening ceremony will take place in Lappia’s grand Music Hall, Tuesday 17th at six pm, followed by dinner in the Lappia´s restaurant “Pikantti”

ednesday is Competition Day. The competitors have five hours to solve difficult problems and execute the tasks. At five pm, the winners will be announced in the Music Hall. However, ArcticSkills is not only about creating winners. An important goal is to make friends and networks in the Barents-region and for this purpose a banquet and party in the Music Hall will conclude the day.

A hub for those who want to develop the trade skills education

In addition to the competition, the tournament also offers a program for guests attending excursions in the area and on campus, and a round-table debate about the possibilities to enhance exchange of practices and trainees in the northern region.

 The road ahead

The tournament in Tornio marks the conclusion of a three year’s pre-project. During these years, the tournament has developed good results and formed an organization, which can be carried on in the future. The project is included in the bilateral agreements of co-operation between Finnmark, Murmansk and Lappi. The board of ArcticSkills has therefore agreed to sign a new agreement for the years to come, in order to continue the tournament and enhance a positive development of the trade skills in the Barents region. In this work, we hope for a continued support from our main sponsors: The Norwegian Barents Secretariat, The North Calotte Council, Kolarctic and the county of Finnmark.