Happy New Year from WorldSkills

As we look ahead to 2017, we are inspired by the continued growth of the WorldSkills movement around the globe. We are tremendously grateful to our Members and partners who are committed to improving the world with the power of skills.

Throughout 2016, Vision 2025 took shape, starting with development meetings in Brussels, Singapore, and Washington D.C., along with discussions at General Assembly Niagara Falls 2016 where it was unanimously adopted. General Assembly 2016, was the largest to date, offering Members, partners, and Champions a tremendous experience thanks to co-hosts Skills/Compétences Canada and SkillsUSA.   

WorldSkills support for the HeForShe campaign was unanimously supported this year and will be included in Vision 2025, along with annual recognition by all Members and Partners, of 15 July, as World Youth Skills Day. 

The development and implementation of the Action Plan to implement Vision 2025 is a key priority, leading up to WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017, 14-19 October. For the first time the WorldSkills Competition will be hosted in the Middle East, symbolizing the essential role vocational education and training have in building new sectors in the United Arab Emirates economy, beyond oil. 

Formalizing details for the Competition will take place later this month, as Experts, sponsors, and delegates gather in Abu Dhabi for Competition Preparation Week.

Also early this year, we will launch registration for the WorldSkills Conference Programme, the must attend event for leaders in Vocational Education and Training, industry, government, and education. The WorldSkills Conference Programme: Global Employment and Skills Forum 2017 has four primary themes: 

• Careers without borders
• Future Skills – Future Talent
• Bringing youth to the conversation
• Combatting gender inequity in skills

The WorldSkills Champions Trust had a big impact in 2016, formalizing their role within the WorldSkills movement and leading key elements of the WorldSkills Champions Forum. We encourage you to learn more about the activities of the Champions Trust through their regular podcasts.

The coming year promises to be another exciting year of national skills competitions around the globe, growth and with impacting projects in our six focus areas, and expansion of our membership and global reach and of course, our 44th WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

From the Board of Directors of WorldSkills International, the Board of Trustees of the WorldSkills Foundation and the WorldSkills Secretariat, we wish you and yours a very happy, peaceful, progressive, and successful New Year.