STEM Spotlight Awards Shine Light on Growing Demand in Canada's Skilled Trade Sectors

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - June 23, 2016) - Babcock Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Babcock International Group, has announced the inaugural year of the STEM Spotlight Awards and is delighted to have as a media sponsor the Vancouver Sun. This initiative is the first of its kind in Canada to honour the ideas of students entering the skilled trades profession, and aims to recognize the many benefits and career opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) related fields.

Leveraging the success of the UK STEM Awards presented by Babcock International Group in conjunction with Telegraph Media Group, Babcock Canada Inc. will further champion the rapidly growing number of professional opportunities and profound impact made by individuals in the field.

In its inaugural year the STEM Spotlight Awards will work from a proven model, hosting a competition-style event that will unify Canadian industry leaders in STEM with some of the brightest emerging problem solvers in their field. Through this competition, Babcock Canada Inc., the Vancouver Sun and select partners including the Industry Training Authority (ITA) will provide a way for industry leaders to engage with the up-and-coming talent that will soon be shaping this influential segment of Canada's economy.

Launching September 2016, the competition consists of five categories for student application and recognition. Industry influencers from each of the Technology, Environment, Marine, Mining, and Energy categories will present a specific complication or obstacle related to their industry. Participants are invited to create and submit a solution based on a clear set of criteria. From these submissions, each of the five categories will produce a shortlist of the most impressive entries within their category. These participants will be invited to present their ideas and vie for a chance at the overall grand prize to be awarded by a panel of expert independent judges.

"If the judges and sponsors of past competitions in the UK have learned one thing, it is that despite a shortage of workers in the STEM sectors, there is no lack of inspiring individuals and exceptional ideas," explains Mark Dixon, President of Babcock Canada Inc. "Now adapting the concept for Canada, we are excited to ignite that same motivation amongst British Columbian youth to see their inspired theories come to life and make a genuine impact on their own STEM landscape."

About Babcock International Group and Babcock Canada Inc.

Babcock International Group is the UK's leading engineering support services company, delivering complex and critical asset support both in the UK and overseas. With revenue of circa $9 billion CAD in 2015 and an order book of circa $38 billion CAD, Babcock International Group manages vital assets within a number of industry sectors including energy, defence, emergency services, transport, telecommunications and education.

Babcock Canada Inc. provides critical and complex support to strategically important assets, infrastructure and training programs primarily in the Canadian defense, security, marine, and construction sectors. Operating from locations in Halifax, Ottawa and Victoria, Babcock Canada Inc. has more than 300 expert personnel providing systems engineering, material and supply chain management and project management solutions.