International Women’s Day 2025: Accelerating action on the global stage for skills

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Accelerate Action’, which calls for the removal of systemic barriers that perpetuate gender inequality, such as unequal pay, limited access to education, and under-representation in certain industries and leadership positions.

For 75 years, WorldSkills has been the global stage for skills – showcasing excellence, creating role models, and shining a light on the limitless possibilities and opportunities in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET). As women continue to make inroads in all professions, WorldSkills has served as a platform that has enhanced their skills, amplified their voices, and given them the recognition and credibility to break into traditionally male-dominated fields.

On this International Women’s Day, we look back at a pivotal moment in 1967 when women first stepped onto this stage, accelerating gender progress and paving the way for generations to come.

The journey towards gender inclusion in WorldSkills began in 1964 when the Competition Rules were changed to allow women to compete, a landmark initiative led by Germany. The next major step for women’s advancement came at the 1966 Competition in Utrecht, where a hairdressing demonstration featuring women participants was included. However, it was not until 1967 that women finally began competing for the first time.

At least eight women competed in Hairdressing, Engineering Drawing, Tailoring, and Sheet Metal Work in Madrid that year, with five earning medals. Spain’s Encarnación Molina won gold in Women’s Hairdressing, becoming the first women’s gold Medallist at a WorldSkills Competition. Antonia van Hattem (Netherlands) and Ingrid Juttner (Germany) received silver and bronze in the same category. In the skill of Engineering Drawing, Ingrid Vogdt won bronze and Crista Steiner also won bronze in Tailoring – both from Germany.

A year later, Silvia Felix was selected to represent Switzerland in Cabinetmaking at the Competition in Bern. Silvia, who was 19 years old at the time, blazed a trail for women in skills having won first place in a category that was traditionally reserved for men. A photograph, available as part of our historical records in the WorldSkills Archive, shows her proudly on the podium alongside silver Medallist J.C.J. Michels of the Netherlands and bronze Medallist Iwahana Yukinobu of Japan.

An interview with Encarnación Molina revealed some of the impact these women trailblazers had on their respective industries.

At a time when the only path to becoming a professional hairdresser was through apprenticeship or private academy, she was one of the first students at the School of Industrial Mastery. Offering official diplomas up to mastery, the school was the first of its kind in Madrid. Following the Competition and graduation, Encarnación joined the institution as a trainer, working alongside renowned stylists. She had an important role in developing and refining the course curricula, and later co-authored a universal dictionary of hairdressing, translating terminology and techniques into French, English, and Spanish.

Many women have had to overcome deep-rooted biases before reaching the global stage for skills – defying family expectations, facing scepticism from colleagues and teachers, and often working harder than their male counterparts. Nonetheless, the aim of WorldSkills is to provide all WorldSkills Champions a supportive environment that recognizes their talents, trains them to excellence, and celebrates their achievements before, during, and after the Competition.

‘Accelerate Action’ calls for identifying and expanding the strategies, resources, and initiatives that effectively advance inclusivity for all. In other words, understanding what works and doing more of it. The WorldSkills community will continue to put our global stage for skills at the service of all young people determined to break barriers, spotlight their talent, and blaze trails.

Happy International Women’s Day 2025!