WorldSkills

WorldSkills is an international charity that organises world and national championships for vocational skills and is held every two years in different parts of the world, and also hosts conferences about vocational skills. WorldSkills describes itself as the global hub for skills.
The aims of the competitions include demonstrating the advantages of learning a vocational skill, and encouraging 'parity of esteem' between vocational and academic qualifications.
The city of Kazan, Russia, hosted the 45th WorldSkills Competition in 2019. At the previous event, WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017, there were competitions in 51 skills areas with roughly 1,300 young people taking part.
WorldSkills International, formerly known as the International Vocational Training Organization (IVTO), was founded in the 1940s with the goal of creating new employment opportunities for young people in some of the economies that were devastated by the Second World War. It operates in 85 different countries and regions.
Overview
WorldSkills rose out of the ruins of the Second World War, which devastated the economies of Europe and created a huge skills shortage that threatened a new economic depression. Some took this challenge as an opportunity to introduce young people to the world of vocational skills. Francisco Albert Vidal was charged with creating a skills contest for the youth of Spain and Portugal. Madrid 1950 was a modest event by today’s standards but an international movement was born. The competition grew rapidly. Young people from Germany, Great Britain, France, Morocco and Switzerland answered the call, with two competitors travelling to Spain unannounced and at their own expense. The competition moved abroad for the first time, to Brussels in Belgium. It was the start of the WorldSkills movement expanding across the globe. By the end of the 1960s, international competitions had been held in Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Then came the biggest leap so far with Tokyo as the host city for 1970. By the end of the 1980s, Atlanta in the USA, Sydney in Australia, Seoul in Korea, and Chinese Taipei had all welcomed what was becoming the world’s greatest international vocational skills event.
Governed by an international Board of Directors and administered by the WorldSkills Secretariat, WSI's mission is "To raise the profile and recognition of skilled people, and show how important skills are in achieving economic growth and personal success".
Among its main objectives are:
Promote the exchange between young professionals from various regions of the world.
Exchange of skills, experience and technological innovations.
Raise the understanding in governments, education and industry to the importance of skills training.
Raise the awareness of youth and those who influence youth to the opportunities available in skilled professions.
Medals are awarded during the competition: gold, silver and bronze. Medallions for Excellence are also awarded to those Competitors who achieve above-average scores in their contest areas.
Competitions
The WorldSkills Competition is currently held every two years.
Previous Competitions
By country
WorldSkills Shanghai 2022
The 46th WorldSkills event will be held in Shanghai, as confirmed by the WorldSkills General Assembly in October 2017. The event was originally scheduled for September 2021, but due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, it was decided to shift the event to 2022. The actual rescheduled date is not yet finalized but is expected to be held from 12 to 17 of October 2022, The slogan for WorldSkills Shanghai 2022 is “New Youth, New Skills, New Dream”.
Some WorldSkills Competition events took place in Cleveland, Ohio in October 2022.
while others took place in Salzburg, Austria and Finland. WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition was the official replacement for WorldSkills Shanghai 2022, cancelled in May due to the pandemic.
Future Competitions
WorldSkills Lyon 2024
Lyon, France was selected as the host city for the 47th WorldSkills competition. Originally scheduled for 12-17 September 2023, it has been moved back one year due to the decision to postpone by one year the 46th Worldskills event originally scheduled to be held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. This will be the second time that France has hosted the WorldSkills competition, the first time being in 1995.
Medals and awards
2015 Medal Table
2017 Medal Table
2019 Medal Table
2022 Medal Table
Members
Chinese Taipei
List of the trades represented in WorldSkills
Construction and building technology
Architectural Stone masonry
Bricklaying
Cabinetmaking
Carpentry
Concrete Construction Work
Electrical Installations
Joinery
Landscape Gardening
Painting and Decorating
Plastering and Drywall Systems
Plumbing and Heating
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Wall and Floor Tiling
Creative arts and fashion
Fashion Technology
Florist arts
Graphic Design Technology
Jewellery
Visual Merchandising/Window Dressing
3D Digital Game Art
Information and communication technology
Mobile Applications Development
Cyber Security
Cloud Computing
Information Network Cabling
IT Network Systems Administration
IT Software Solutions for Business
Print Media Technology
Web Design
Manufacturing and engineering technology
CNC Milling
CNC Turning
Construction Metal Work
Electronics
Industrial Control
Industrial Mechanic Millwright
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Mechanical Engineering CAD
Mechatronics
Mobile Robotics
Plastic Die Engineering
Poly mechanics and Automation
Prototype Modelling
Welding
Water Technology
Social and personal services
Bakery
Beauty Therapy
Cooking
Hairdressing
Health and Social Care
Pâtisserie and Confectionery
Restaurant Service
Transportation and logistics
Aircraft Maintenance
Auto body Repair
Automobile Technology
Car Painting
Heavy Vehicle Maintenance
The list was updated to reflect the trades that were covered at the 45th WorldSkills competition held in Kazan, Russia in August 2019.
References
External links
Competitions
Recurring events established in 1950
1950 establishments in Spain