9 September 2024
Champions arrive at Eurexpo Lyon for the first time for Familiarization Day
With only two days to go until the start of the Competition, WorldSkills Lyon 2024 gave Competitors their first glimpse of the exhibition hall and helped them familiarize themselves with the venue layout and their workshops.
There was great anticipation in the air this morning as the WorldSkills Member Teams arrived at Eurexpo Lyon to give the young Champions their first look at the Competition venue and the workshop where they will be competing.
Familiarization Day is a critical step in helping the 1,400 Competitors and 1,300 Experts prepare. While much of the workshop setup was done before today, this day is about making sure the Competitors feel comfortable, know where to find everything, and get their safety briefings before the Competition begins on Wednesday, 11 September.
Taking in the scale of the venue is first thing that Competitors need to do. To hold the world’s largest skills competition, the 140,000m2 of Eurexpo Lyon has been turned into workshops for 59 Official Skills and 3 Exhibition Skills – and it is an impressive, and potentially overwhelming, sight.
Tomoya Hiraiwa from WorldSkills Japan is competing in Mobile Applications Development and was happy to finally arrive at the venue and take in the scale of the Competition. He said, “The familiarisation day went really well, and I am feeling good and prepared for the Competition. I enjoyed seeing all of the other Competitors and I will sleep well tonight ready for everything to begin.”
Jane Stokie, Director of Skills Competitions for WorldSkills International, reflected, “Considering the vast skills on display at WorldSkills Lyon 2024, you can understand that each workshop is going to look and feel very different. But I don’t think that Competitors really appreciate that until they step foot into the venue. It is good for them to see the bigger picture, but of course what they are really interested in is the space they will be competing in.”
When each Competitor arrived at their workshop, they were greeted by the Skill Management Team, made up of the Skill Competition Manager, the Chief Expert, and other Experts who will assess their work. The Skill Competition Manager introduced them to their workstation and the local workshop manager showed them the equipment they would be working with. They also shared their vision of how they want the skill competition to run.
The Competitors had a health and safety briefing before going through the schedule for the competition itself, including time management and what is expected of them. Then, they tested their equipment. Yane-Nirina Randriamanantsoa, Workshop Manager for Fashion Technology felt the day went just as planned. She said, “Today was a very good day. Competitors had the chance to discover the fabric, develop inspiration for their projects, and try out the machines. I’m excited to see what they create!”
David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills International was encouraged to see how well the Competitors were settling in. He said, “Our main objectives of Familiarization Day can feel very practical as we need to make sure Competitors are comfortable with their respective equipment and stations, and that they are aware of all safety features and measures. But it is just as important to us that we use this day to help Competitors enjoy the experience of WorldSkills Lyon 2024 and be ready to show the world their excellence in skills.”
He continues, “They will remember this Competition forever. Today will have helped them all understand what now lies ahead, so they are ready to do their best.”
Following what promises to be a spectacular Opening Ceremony tomorrow evening at the LDLC Arena, the Competitors will be ready to show the best of their skills on Wednesday, the first day of WorldSkills Lyon 2024. To follow each day as it unfolds tune into our broadcast coverage or sign up to our newsletter.
WorldSkills Lyon 2024
WorldSkills Lyon 2024, 10 to 15 September, is the world’s largest international skills competition, featuring 1,400 Competitors from almost 70 countries and regions. The 47th WorldSkills Competition showcases excellence in young skilled talent, while also bringing industry, education, and government leaders together to move skills to the top of the global agenda. WorldSkills is highlighting the critical role skills play in addressing global challenges, boosting economies and industries, and promoting excellence.