Competition Preparation Week begins in Shanghai

Senior officials kicked off Competition Preparation Week 2026 (CPW) in Shanghai, highlighting the critical role the next four days will play in ensuring the success of the 48th WorldSkills Competition.

CPW convenes Skill Management Teams, Members, Global Partners, the Competition Organizer, and WorldSkills International to coordinate logistics and move planning forward for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. The week features detailed organizing meetings for each skill competition, the finalization of Infrastructure Lists, workshop layouts, and health, safety, and environmental requirements.

While addressing all participants at the start of the Skills Management meeting, Chinese Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, Ms Wang Xiaoping, said that the event was a great opportunity “to inspect, review and align every aspect of our work, and to refine each detail to the highest standard.”

“As we all witness, a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation is sweeping the globe, accelerating the demand for talent and elevating the role of skills in promoting prosperity as never before,” said Minister Xiaoping. “The nationwide “Skills Light Up the Future” initiative will harness innovative skills programs to drive high-quality growth. We look forward to sharing these new concepts and solutions with the entire WorldSkills family and to injecting fresh momentum into the WorldSkills movement.”

In similar spirit, Mayor of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, Mr Gong Zheng told participants that with CPW, WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 entered “the decisive final phase” of its journey.

“We pledge to listen carefully to your insights and dedicate ourselves fully to ensuring a resounding success. As the host city of the 48th WorldSkills Competition, Shanghai has spared no effort in preparing for this momentous event, readying venues and facilities, amplifying our outreach, and perfecting every service detail.”

Emphasizing China’s growing commitment to WorldSkills, Mr David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills, thanked the Ministry for positioning Shanghai as the epicentre of the WorldSkills movement this year.

“China’s decision to host WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 is both strategic and inspiring. You have already started legacy worthy of a nation that has the world’s largest TVET system. China is showing the world that WorldSkills plays an important role in advancing national priorities,” he said, recognizing the country’s strong national focus on innovation, quality, and talent development.

China won the bid to host the WorldSkills Competition in 2017. Since then, the WorldSkills Museum was opened, WorldSkills Conference 2021 was hosted online, and planning has begun for WorldSkills Conference 2026 – which will be the largest WorldSkills Conference and Ministerial programme ever delivered.

Encouraging all teams ahead of a week of intense work, Mr Hoey said that this week’s achievement would directly shape the quality, credibility, and fairness of the Competition, and ultimately the experience of every Competitor who will stand on the global stage for skills.

“Together, through your work this week and the journey ahead, we are shaping a future – defined by excellence, opportunity, and global cooperation,” he said.

Taking place from 2 to 5 February, Competition Preparation Week will also host the Sponsors Forum, the launch of the One School One Member, and tours to visit the Competition venue and the WorldSkills Museum.

As part of other crucial meetings taking place this week, the Skills Competition meeting and the Competition Committee meeting held today offered updates and discussions on important topics such as the Competition Rules, assessment, logistics, and marketing and communications.

WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 will be held from 22 to 27 September 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention (NECC) Shanghai. Access all information about the 48th WorldSkills Competition.