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The risk for cyberattacks is increasing, along with the need for skilled workers who are trained to ensure network security online.
LEESBURG, Va. (PRWEB) January 10, 2019
SkillsUSA today revealed two competitors who will represent the United States in Cyber Security at WorldSkills, the largest international showcase of the skilled trades. The August 2019 WorldSkills event marks the first time countries will compete in the Cyber Security category.
Mawadda Abuhamda, age 17, hailing from Chandler, Ariz., and Jason McGee, age 18, from San Tan Valley, Ariz., will compete as a team as part of WorldSkills USA in Kazan, Russia, this year.
“The risk for cyberattacks is increasing, along with the need for skilled workers who are trained to ensure network security online. These two competitors are incredibly important and valuable additions to the WorldSkills USA team, and I am excited that our largest WorldSkills contingent ever continues to grow,” says SkillsUSA Executive Director Tim Lawrence.
The WorldSkills USA team members, with an average age of 19, are masters in their craft. Every two years, competitors from 76 countries and regions around the world compete in more than 50 different trade skills at WorldSkills. The next competition will take place Aug. 22-27, 2019, in Kazan, Russia, and showcase trade skills from construction and building technology, creative arts and fashion, information and communication technology, manufacturing and engineering, social and personal services, and transportation and logistics.
“Safeguarding confidential information and protecting data is more important than ever,” said Maureen Tholen, sustainability director, 3M Industrial Business, and Safety and Graphics Business Groups, and chairperson of the SkillsUSA Foundation. “As the lead sponsor of the WorldSkills USA team, 3M hopes the next generation of students are inspired to pursue jobs in important fields such as cyber security.”
“I’m confident Mawadda and Jason will represent the United States well at next year’s competition,” Lawrence said. “Competing at WorldSkills is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the knowledge they gain from training and competing among talented individuals from all over the world will be a valuable asset that sets them apart from their peers.”
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a vital solution to the growing U.S. skills gap. This nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry ensures America has the skilled workforce it needs to stay competitive. Founded in 1965 and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, the association serves more than 360,000 member students and instructors each year in middle schools, high schools and colleges. This diverse talent pipeline covers 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, the majority STEM-related. More than 600 corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA at the national level. SkillsUSA programs are integrated into career and technical education through a framework of personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. Local, state and national championships, designed and judged by industry, set relevant standards for career and technical education and provide needed recognition to its students. SkillsUSA also offers technical skill assessments and other workplace credentials. For additional information on the WorldSkills USA team or to donate or provide in-kind support, please visit: http://www.worldskillsusa.org
About WorldSkills
Since 1950, WorldSkills has come to symbolize the pinnacle of excellence in vocational training. It provides a unique means of exchange and comparison of world-class competency standards in the industrial trades and service sectors of the global economy. The continued growth of WorldSkills attests to the fact that traditional trade and craft skills, along with newer technology’s multi-skilled occupations, make an essential contribution to the economic and social well-being of people everywhere. For more information, go to: http://www.worldskills.org
About 3M
3M applies science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, 3M’s 91,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at http://www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.
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