WorldSkills Lyon 2024: Talented Winners, Long-lasting Legacy

After an intense week of competition, the 47th WorldSkills Competition has officially wrapped up, marking the end of a thrilling journey for 1,400 young professionals from around the globe. For four days, participants representing nearly 70 countries and regions competed fiercely in 59 diverse skill areas, transforming Lyon's Eurexpo into a vibrant hub of craftsmanship and international talent.

From day one, the atmosphere was charged with energy as competitors showcased their expertise in sectors ranging from Manufacturing and Engineering to Fashion, Digital Technology, and Healthcare. The level of dedication and precision demonstrated throughout the week was a testament to the profound commitment these young professionals have to their trades, as well as their determination to showcase their nation's worth on the global stage.

Last night, the closing ceremony of WorldSkills Lyon 2024, held at Groupama Stadium, brought the event to an emotional close with the announcement of medalists in each skill category. Four medals were awarded in each skill: Gold Medal, Silver Medal, Bronze Medal, and the Medallion for Excellence. This ceremony underscored the core belief of the WorldSkills movement: excellence is found in diversity – diversity of profiles, backgrounds, expertise, and techniques.

What's next?

The impact of WorldSkills Lyon 2024 extends far beyond the event itself. As the competition unfolded, and millions of people followed it in person or through media, WorldSkills Lyon 2024 spotlighted the crucial role of vocational education in today's world and in shaping our shared future. By celebrating excellence, the competition highlighted the incredible ability of youth to drive the change our world needs through their energy and dedication. The legacy of this event lies in every vocation it has sparked and every future career it has inspired. This 47th edition has once again shown the world that where there is skill, there is a way.

Award-Winning Documentary "Taking the Fight" Now Streaming on Major Platforms

Taking the Fight, the compelling documentary that follows the remarkable journey of Stuart Warren Dansby, is now available for streaming on platforms including iTunes / Apple TV+, Google Play, and Amazon Prime Video. This inspiring film chronicles Dansby, who at 56 years old, steps into the kickboxing ring for the first time, challenging opponents half his age.

Directed by Carlos Arrieta, CEO of ROAR Post, and co-produced by Dansby, this documentary spans six years, capturing the highs and lows of Dansby's pursuit a becoming a kickboxing champion as viewers are invited to immerse themselves in his life, witnessing his battles against career-threatening injuries, family dynamics, and the emotional toll that comes with competing against much younger fighters.

"This film is more than just a tale of physical combat," Dansby explained. "It's about love—love for the sport, the team, and the dream. Through these fights, the documentary imparts a universal message of overcoming obstacles, doubts, and fears."

Filmed in Miami, Taking the Fight began as a spontaneous project when Arrieta, intrigued by Dansby's story, picked up a camera during a conversation. "I thought Stuart was crazy to take these fights," Arrieta recalled. "But as I listened to his story, I quietly started recording. Eight years later, we have this incredible narrative that will resonate across generations."

The film has garnered significant recognition, being screened at 26 film festivals in 2023 and winning over 30 awards across categories like Best Feature Documentary, Best Inspirational Documentary, and Best First-Time Director.

Taking the Fight is poised to be a cultural phenomenon, sparking conversations and challenging conventions as it continues to inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
For more information, visit Taking The Fight's website or view the trailer on YouTube.

About ROAR Post
ROAR Post is an award-winning full-service multilingual video production and postproduction company. From concept to finished product, ROAR Post is a complete branding, content development, design, photography, HD video production and post-production company that provides a tenacious focus on delivering powerfully impactful high-end productions in an intensely creative and business friendly culture for our clients.

About Stuart Warren Dansby,
In 2010 he and his wife Stella created, directed, wrote and produced the nationally syndicated television show Livin' La Vida with Stella & Stuart. He's the Partnership Manager for Glanbia Performance Nutrition which owns the sports nutrition brands Optimum Nutrition, BSN, Isopure and more. He's also a motivational speaker & mentor. He holds a blackbelt in American Kickboxing and is still a competitive athlete at 64 years of age.

Source Taking The Fight, LLC

 

Orkin Unveils New Uniforms Through Partnership with Savannah College of Art and Design

Orkin and SCADpro today announced their recent partnership resulting in the rollout of new Orkin uniforms for more than 10,000 employees.

The Orkin Marketing team approached the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to engage SCADpro, the university's collaborative innovation studio that generates business solutions for the world's most influential brands, with a design challenge to reimagine the company's uniforms. The SCADpro team consisted of 16 talented students and two faculty leads representing top-ranked SCAD degree programs, including fashion, fashion marketing and management, graphic design, art history, animation, illustration, film and television, luxury and brand management, and more. The students worked in two groups, a graphics team and fashion team, to effectively meet the needs of the design brief.

The updated uniforms are anchored in white, red, and black with classic khaki — a return to a classic color palette inspired by Orkin's brand identity and heritage. The uniforms have changed in fit, form, and functionality, but have maintained a professional look as part of Orkin's core values. The execution of these design efforts was informed by the team's in-depth understanding of the need to improve utility and fabric choices to make Orkin Pros, specifically women, more comfortable and productive on the job.

"The opportunity to work with Orkin allowed SCAD students to see their thoughtful work launch into the world and positively impact both the consumer and employee experience," said Paul Stonick, vice-president of SCADpro. "By implementing strategies in areas including textile sourcing, corporate social responsibility, and integrated marketing, students successfully delivered the Orkin uniform to look professional and represent Orkin's tradition and storied background."

"We are proud to have partnered with SCADpro to reimagine the iconic Orkin uniform that is professional, practical, and cost effective," said Pat Chrzanowski, President Orkin USA. "Our new Orkin Pro uniforms are just that — a modern take on the iconic Orkin residential and commercial uniforms, while retaining our brand's values and strong visual identity."

New Uniform Design

The new uniform design was focused on updating the traditional Orkin uniform by elevating and modernizing the design. This shirt design, although simple in concept, is an updated design to the current Orkin uniform. The shirt is more comfortable and functional while maintaining the traditional and recognizable elements of the current design.

 Uniform Shirt

• The new shirt features a poly spandex blend material that is breathable and stretches for comfort while working.
• The residential shirt's red epaulets have been updated to red shoulder stripes for a more modern look.
• The shirt design also includes one pocket with a pen holder, which offers more utility.
• The new design also features darting on the women's shirts to improve fit.

Uniform Pants

• Orkin's uniform pants were updated with performance fabric that offers wrinkle resistance and a four-way stretch for comfort and mobility. The new pants also provide breathability in summer months.
• The design features a device pocket on one side and cargo pocket on the other, on both men's and women's pants. The pants pockets were also moved to the front for a more modern look.
• On the women's pants, elastic has been added in the back waist to improve fit, while maintaining a flat front look.
• The new design also features a belt made of nylon woven with a locking slide for improved fit, a more modern look, and increased durability.

From the beginning, the goal for the new Orkin uniform was to stay true to the heritage of the Orkin brand, —– from top to bottom, while making it more comfortable and better meeting the needs of every Orkin Pro. The new uniform design has minor silhouette changes; but is elevated with more sophisticated and versatile textile choices and thoughtful utility details.

About Orkin, LLC

Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin aspires to be the world's best service company. As an industry leader in essential pest control services, Orkin offers protection against termite damage, rodents, and insects, providing a safe place for people to live, work, and play. Orkin has more than 360 owned-and-operated branch offices and more than 45 franchise locations in the U.S. and international franchises and subsidiaries in Canada, Europe, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean, Africa, and Mexico. Through its values of safety, integrity, innovation, professionalism, and empathy, Orkin is committed to protecting public health by helping prevent and control pests as well as educating consumers on the potential health risks posed by these pests. As such, since 2020, Orkin has partnered with the American Red Cross to inform the public about the health threats of mosquitoes while boosting our country's blood supply through monetary contributions and blood donations. Orkin is committed to hiring the world's best to deliver the peace of mind only a service-minded Orkin Pro can provide. Learn more about careers at Orkin.

About SCADpro

SCADpro is the Savannah College of Art and Design's collaborative innovation studio that generates business solutions for the world's most influential brands. SCADpro is recognized as the preeminent university partner in higher education and among design agencies worldwide. Unlike other agencies and university programs, SCADpro invites clients to engage in every step of the ideation and creative process and to work directly with student designers, professors, and alumni focused on clients' desired outcomes. For more information on SCADpro, visit scad•edu/scadpro.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers

SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs across locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow. SCAD enrolls more than 17,500 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 120 countries. The future-minded SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and myriad advanced learning resources, affording students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university's renowned research lab and prototype generator. SCAD has earned top rankings for degree programs in interior design, architecture, film, fashion, digital media, and more. Career success is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. A 2023 study found that 99% of SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more. Visit scad•edu.

Source Orkin, LLC

Nayrouz Olarte Launches Global Fashion Trade Organization

Nayrouz Olarte Announces the Formation of International Fashion Federation, a Global Trade Organization for all Stakeholders in Fashion, Tourism and Hospitality.

Multi-passionate entrepreneur and philanthropist Nayrouz Olarte, known for her transformative leadership as the former President of the Board of Orlando International Fashion Week and founder of the HER Foundation, is proud to announce the launch of the International Fashion Federation (IFF). This groundbreaking global trade organization is dedicated to uniting stakeholders in fashion, tourism and hospitality committed to a mission that enhances the cities of tomorrow through the synergistic power of fashion.

 

While other leading fashion organizations focus on global trade, designer recognition through awards, and education and resources for support with things like materials, supply chain and manufacturing, IFF will focus on the connection between the fashion industry and the business interests of a thriving city.

"By propelling fashion into a cultural conversation, we can form a collective interest and impact communities just as the performing arts have done for centuries. I believe that fashion can bring the world together because it's a universal language of self-expression; it's the art of our everyday lives. Infusing fashion into the fabric of a city has a profound impact on its culture, tourism, and luxury markets. Florida is the second most valuable real estate market in the country, and we envision matching that value from an art, fashion, and cultural perspective. I've seen firsthand how an emphasis on fashion can revitalize a city, and I'm passionate about expanding this work throughout Florida and then into other parts of the world," said Nayrouz Olarte.

Nayrouz's past experience in her culinary career, serving her community in a pivotal role at Orlando International Fashion Week, and as founder of HER Foundation set the stage for this vision to come to life. Olarte's focus for the past several years has been in the non-profit space. She launched HER Foundation and hosted an inaugural HER Gala where she partnered with Jackie Siegel and Victoria's Voice Foundation. That fashion show gala event caught the attention of the board of directors at Orlando International Fashion Week and she was later named CEO. She has shown the city of Orlando how powerful the intersection of fashion, luxury lifestyle, hospitality and tourism can be. Her first project upon launching the International Fashion Federation will be called Glamour for Good, a show to benefit NonPareil students with Autism. 

Business leaders, city planners, and innovators are invited to join the IFF as founding trustees or members, shaping a future where fashion plays a central role in urban development and cultural enrichment. This is an unparalleled opportunity to be at the forefront of a movement that leverages fashion as a catalyst for social transformation and economic growth.

Source: International Fashion Federation

 

McDonald's USA Invites Fans to Elevate Black Fashion Designers with Call to 'Show Up and Show Out in Black'

 Did you know that only 7.3% of fashion designers in the U.S. are Black? ^[1] McDonald's USA understands the significance of this issue and has called for change through its Black & Positively Golden (B&PG) Change of Fashion program, an initiative that pairs five rising Black designers with five fashion industry insiders for career-shifting mentorship and more.

The Golden Arches is now doubling down on the cause by bringing Change of Fashion to one of the industry's biggest stages, New York Fashion Week (NYFW). The fashion industry and fans nationwide are invited to Show Up and Show Out in Black-owned brands by supporting and shopping Black fashion designers during the month of September and beyond.