For the first time ever is Greenland participating when the Danish vocational education programs compete in the craft subjects at the so-called DM i Skills, which is taking place this week in Hjørring.
DM i Skills is a competition for young people in vocational education. Here approximately 300 apprentices and students compete to become Denmark’s best in their profession – including carpenters, bricklayers, cooks and electricians.
For the first time ever is Greenland participating when the Danish vocational education programs compete in the craft subjects at the so-called DM i Skills, which is taking place this week in Hjørring.
DM i Skills is a competition for young people in vocational education. Here approximately 300 apprentices and students compete to become Denmark’s best in their profession – including carpenters, bricklayers, cooks and electricians.
The Greenlandic vocational education programs do not participate in the competition itself, but are present in Hjørring with a stand that brings the audience very close to Arctic craftsmanship, culture and everyday life.
Competitions are the future
– We are not participating in the competitions this year, but it will probably come, says education manager John Plambek from KTI in Sismiut.
– We have many talented apprentices who can prove themselves, but initially we want to focus on vocational training and also show that you can compete professionally. Participating in this kind of competition requires a targeted effort – and we will use the visit to DM i Skills to show that it is a good opportunity to show what you are capable of.
– It is also our plan that we will participate in Arctic Skills, which is a similar competition for students from the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Northern Norway.
– We will also use the visit to Hjørring to show the flag. It requires something very special to be a craftsman in Greenland, because we have some challenges in, among other things, the climate, which require you to be extremely good at planning – just as we have some educations in Greenland that are not available anywhere else, says John Plambek.
Kayak builder and national costume seamstress
At the Greenlandic stand in Hjørring, the Danish public can, among other things, follow a kayak builder, try their hand at snowmobile mechanics, taste musk oxen and reindeer, and experience crafts such as leather work and bead sewing.
It’s all about showing the difference between being an apprentice in Greenland and in Denmark. A Greenlandic snowmobile apprentice, for example, shows the challenges of working with an engine that stalls in minus 40 degrees compared to standing and working in a warm car workshop.
The stand also offers powerful stories about Arctic construction, survival and trade – as well as live demonstrations such as Inuit Games and the meeting with sled dogs.
The Greenlandic delegation of no less than 25 people consists of both school leaders, teachers, apprentices and business operators.
Brian is happy to pitch in
One of the participants on the stand is apprentice carpenter Brian Tony Kaspersen Schultz, who is made of a very special material.
brian began his training on the carpentry course with john plambek in sisimiut, but after the first basic course he switched to the carpentry course in hjørring. the Greenlandic carpentry apprentice can easily see himself competing in skills competitions.
– I am a sportsman to the tips of my fingers – and I love competition. so I have no problem with that – on the contrary, explains brian tony kaspersen schultz.
– it was also the sport’s fault that I moved to Denmark and Hirtshals after the first basic course. I am on the Greenlandic table tennis national team. I have better training opportunities in Hirtshals, where I play on the city’s 2nd division team. competition means everything, so if one day I become good enough, I will of course apply for dm in skills.
the Greenlandic vocational education’s participation in dm i skills in hjørring is organized in collaboration with the association uagut.
– we are really looking forward to showing our Greenlandic culture and special business skills to dm i skills. in many ways, our vocational courses are exactly the same as in the rest of denmark, and then everything is completely different because of logistics and nature, of course. young Greenlanders are educated with deep respect for culture and nature, and are ready to solve the challenges of the future. we would like to show this off and share it with everyone who visits dm i skills in hjørring, says lisa bundgaard jensen, project manager at the association uagut.
