2024: Skills on the global stage

The global stage for … WorldSkills Lyon 2024

Celebrations started long before the Opening Ceremony, as the WorldSkills community was delighted to be back together at our first single-site WorldSkills Competition in five years. The themes of unity, excellence, and determination were heard in every speech and seen in every skill workshop.

President Macron had already named the Competition a Grande Cause Nationale before he joined thousands of Competitors, Experts, Global Partners, and supporters to declare the 47th WorldSkills Competition officially open at the LDLC Arena in Lyon.

Over four days, over 1,300 young people took part in 59 skill competitions. Supported by 1,200 Experts, and over 100,000 visitors, they stepped onto the global stage and put years of hard work and training into practice, proving why they are among the best in world.

Over 300 medals were awarded at the Closing Ceremony at OL Stadium but the message to the gathered crowd was clear: every single person is a worthy WorldSkills Champion and a role model for the next generation.

The global stage for…elevating TVET

Lyon was not only the setting for the WorldSkills Competition. It also hosted WorldSkills Conference 2024 which attracted Ministers, dignitaries, thought leaders, policymakers, and influencers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Two days of successful sessions and networking saw 1,000 delegates discuss issues ranging from impact measurement and Artificial Intelligence to foundational skills, fragile economies, and skills for the green transition.

The Conference closed with a plea from WorldSkills Champions Trust representative Yousra Assali saying, “I am here today to remind us all, that the systems that created our current problems will not be the same systems that solve them. We must think differently about the future. Young people have an important perspective that must be heard.”

Delegates were urged to act with urgency and use their roles, and events like the UN Summit of the Future, to advocate for skills, to innovate, and to forge new partnerships. Partnerships like our own one with OECD to design and deliver PISA-VET, a new global framework that will improve the way TVET is taught and assessed and drive skills excellence.

The global stage for … youth as changemakers

During 2024, we shone a spotlight on the incredible young people who will shape and improve our world for the better. Knowing “you can’t be what you can’t see” the Competition inspired younger students to think about skilled careers as they grow older. One School One Country paired schools in France with WorldSkills teams who told them all about their skills, but also their countries, regions, and cultures. Then at WorldSkills Lyon 2024 itself, 51 Try-a-Skills booths were used to teach young visitors about different trades and encourage them to have a go and find their own path to success.

We also joined international celebrations and conversations on World Youth Skills Day 2024 as UNESCO-UNEVOC unveiled the results of its Youth Survey which showed that young people want to be agents of change in the world. This was echoed later in the year by a joint survey by DeWalt and WorldSkills International on how important it is to young people to use their careers to make a positive impact on the global community.

BeChangeMaker 2024 continued to accelerate the innovations of our most entrepreneurial youth. With a record-breaking 715 applications from 83 countries and regions, 30 teams were selected and Sekofia from Nigeria were named winners after their live pitch at WorldSkills Conference 2024.

If you want to feel inspired as the year draws to a close, then we encourage you to visit our Making Our Mark campaign and learn how young people are going on to change their world after Competitions.

The global stage for … sustainable and inclusive skills

In 2024 we continued to improve access to skills, because attracting more diverse young people will lead to better solutions to some of our most complex and urgent challenges.

An important advancement was made ahead of Earth Day 2024, outlining that sustainable practices would be embedded into every one of the 59 skill competitions for the first time at WorldSkills Competition 2024. That means that every single WorldSkills Competitor is now assessed on the sustainability of their methods and use of materials.

Our WorldSkills Champions Trust had a busy year at events including discussing gender barriers on International Women’s Day 2024, joining discussions around youth labour rights with the ILO, and helping to launch the OECD’s Youth Policy Toolkit to ensure future strategies are designed around young people.

The global stage for…a stronger skills community

WorldSkills went from strength to strength with the addition of three new Members who were officially ratified at the WorldSkills General Assembly 2023. WorldSkills Democratic Republic of Congo, WorldSkills Ethiopia, and WorldSkills Nigeria joined our community which now covers 89 countries and regions, and five continents.

Africa’s Continental TVET Strategy also took a step forward this year too with the official launch of the WorldSkills Africa which has been five years in the making and has been strongly supported by the WorldSkills community. The landmark launch will help countries share best practices, benchmark skills standards, and improve links between industry and skills education.

WorldSkills welcomed 3D Shining as our newest Global Partner, marked 10 years of successful collaborations with Stanley, Black & Decker, and recognized the incredible contribution of Samsung to WorldSkills Lyon 2024.

And to see in the new year, the WorldSkills community elected a new President, Francis Hourant, and new members of the WorldSkills Board.

The global stage for … progress!

Once again, the WorldSkills community has worked together, worked hard, and worked for change. There is so much to look back on with pride.

As we head into 2025, the WorldSkills movement looks forward to many local, national, and regional competitions on the road to Shanghai, while also celebrating our 75th anniversary of creating a global stage for skills.