Manitoba’s Highest-achieving Apprentices and Their Employers Honoured at Awards Ceremony

May 1, 2008

Manitoba’s 38 top achievers in designated apprenticeship trades in 2007 will be honoured tomorrow at a special awards ceremony in Winnipeg, Competitiveness, Training and Trade Minister Andrew Swan announced.The employers of these top achievers will also be recognized for the support and educational opportunities they offered to their apprentices.

“As a government, we recognize the importance of apprenticeships to the growth and prosperity of Manitoba industry and to the skills and careers of individual Manitobans,” said Swan. “We are dedicated to meeting the challenge of increasing training capacity to meet the high demand in the labour market.”

All of the winners were the best in their trades, based on criteria that included job performance, marks attained during technical training and recommendations from their employers and instructors.

Employers also play a critical role in apprenticeship training and, as a result, they are also being honoured for the training and mentoring they provided.

This year, a new award will be given to the trades qualifier with the highest standing on the certification exam. The award is in honour of Ron Krishka, a provincial employee who made a significant contribution to the enhancement and growth of the trades qualification process in Manitoba.

“Our employers, apprentices and instructors make our apprenticeship system as strong as it is. I want to thank and congratulate all journeypersons and employers for their contributions and hard work,” said Swan. “By encouraging and cultivating the ambitions of quality tradespeople and rewarding their success, we can ensure Manitoba will have a competitive workforce that is aligned with Manitoba’s labour market needs.”

The awards and recognition ceremony will be held tomorrow at the Winnipeg Convention Centre from
1 to 3:30 p.m.

More information on apprenticeship programs in Manitoba is available on the Manitoba government website at www.gov.mb.ca/tce/apprent/index.html.

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LIST OF AWARD WINNERS ATTACHED