One School, One Country

The One School, One Country program provides young school students the opportunity to learn about another country's values, traditions and culture by increasing their international awareness. It will also provide students a look to their future and the possibility of a career in skilled trades or technologies.

Our Team Australia Skillaroos are involved in the program, parterning with Douglasdale Elementary School.   Douglasdale School is a kindergarten to year 4 school with 385 students in the south of Calgary.

Recently at the WorldSkills Technical Committee meeting in Calgary, WSA Technical Delegate, John Shiel had the pleasure of meeting Claire.

Claire is 8 years old and is the Douglasdale School representative for the One School, One Country Program. Claire and her school mates will be learning all about Australia and our Skillaroos over the next 6 months. According to John, "Claire's face lit up with excitement when I presented her with a kangaroo, some small koalas, an Aussie song book and CD and an aboriginal art work."

Before competition commences, Team Australia Skillaroos will be bussed to Douglasdale Elementary School. The school has spent the past school year learning about Australia and the students are already excited to meet the Skillaroos.

In Calgary, there are 238 schools involved with OSOC. These schools are adapting their education curriculum to reflect WSC 2009 and the skilled trades and technologies. In addition, all involved schools are adopting a WorldSkills Member (in Australia's case- a Skillaroo) to specifically learn about during the school year. Many students are interested in the competitors and over the next 5 months will ask them questions about their skills, trade or technology via email.

Watch this space.