EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
WorldSkills competitors
get proper send-off
By Ilana Koegelenberg
The official send-off ceremony for the 2017 WorldSkills competition
in Abu Dhabi took place on 29 September, as a large crowd
gathered to wish our national competitors well on their journey.
T
he event took place at The Lakes Hotel in Benoni,
Johannesburg, with various guests in attendance,
including most of the 22 national competitors on
their way to Abu Dhabi. Family, government officials,
industry, and sponsors all came together to give the
team a rousing send-off.
It was a packed programme, led by the
programme director, ZC Mvalo, who is the
deputy director general of Skills Development
and whose energy hyped up the entire venue as
he called upon the competitors to bring home
some medals.
The former minister of higher education
and training, Dr Blade Nzimande, wished the
competitors well and encouraged the uptake of
vocational skills in the country.
There were choir items and a motivational
speaker and even an interesting play put on by a
local technical vocational education and training
(TVET) college with a vocational skills theme.
Our very own refrigeration and air-conditioning
competitor, Tyrone Bunce, also led an item
performed by the competitors.
At the end of the colourful and inspiring
programme, each of the competitors were called up
to the stage one at a time as they were introduced
to the guests, all kitted out and looking dapper in their
new black suits and South African flag scarves. Their
experts were also introduced.
Bunce (of Standard Refrigeration in KwaZulu-Natal)
has been training hard since winning the national skills
competition and he seemed nervously excited about
the opportunity to represent his country (and trade)
on an international level.
This year the South African team boasts 22
competitors in the skills categories of hairdressing,
welding, and of course, refrigeration and air
conditioning.
In the next edition, we will be talking to our
industry’s competitor, Tyrone Bunce, and his
national skills expert, Bob Vuletic, to hear about their
experience of the competition. CLA
Former Mini ster Blade Nzimande (front middle) with the WorldSkills
national competitors and their various industry experts.
From left: Isabel Krynauw (OTTC); André Vermeulen (technical delegate
WSSA); Tyrone Bunce (refrigeration and air-conditioning national
competitor); Arrie Manuel (OTTC); Bob Vuletic (Multistage Cooling);
Peter Hoetmer (Metraclark); and Ilana Koegelenberg (Cold Link Africa).
COLD LINK AFRICA • November | December 2017
www.coldlinkafrica.co.za
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