Join us to celebrate World Youth Skills Day!

It is with great pride that we celebrate World Youth Skills Day, 15 July 2016!

Today we support youth developing their talents to improve the world through the power of skills. WorldSkills has joined the organizations of the United Nations and other international and regional organizations, along with Members and partners, to recognize World Youth Skills Day as a day to encourage youth to celebrate the value of being skilled; the value of building, making, and creating as an ideal way to achieve personal success and fulfilment. 

Be sure to visit the WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 website launched in celebration of World Youth Skills Day, previewing the exciting events happening in just over 450 days from now.

Over the last month in our World Youth Skills Day social media campaign, we asked youth from around the globe to share their perspective on how #SkillsRuleTheWorld. We know skills make everything possible. Whether it is the electrician that brings us power, the chef that prepares an inspired meal, or the programmer that makes magic out of code - Skills Rule the World. 

Today, the WorldSkills community is gathering at various Member and partner activities celebrating this important occasion. Champions Trust representative Tayla Schou, WorldSkills President Simon Bartley, and WorldSkills Board of Directors member San-Quei Lin are in Zambia at the TVET Conference. Champions Barthélémy Deutsch of Belgium, Anna Prokopenia of Russia, and Karin Fischnaller of Italy, and WorldSkills Board of Directors member, Jos de Goey are in Bonn, Germany for the UNESCO-UNEVOC World Youth Skills Day 2016 event "Looking Ahead: Inspiring and Empowering Youth through Skills Development". Members including India, Namibia, Jamaica, Palestine, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Zambia are hosting local events recognizing the value and signficance of skills in all economies and communities.

Our thanks to Global Partners, IAPMO (International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials) and Autodesk, for their leadership in hosting the Community Plumbing Challenge and Fusion Design Hub Challenge in Diepsloot, South Africa. Through your collaboration and vision, World Youth Skills Day 2016 will be remembered equally by the local youth participants and the international skilled experts, as an inspirational experience.

I would like to thank each of you for your support of the mission of WorldSkills, to raise the profile and recognition of skilled people, and show how important skills are in achieving economic growth and personal success. On World Youth Skills Day, and every day, we are collectively raising awareness and improving our world with the power of skills.

David Hoey, CEO WorldSkills International