Skills come to life in the heart of Lyon

Less than 30 minutes from Eurexpo, the iconic Place Bellecour in the heart of Lyon’s city centre is the largest pedestrian square in Europe. During WorldSkills Lyon 2024, it will become a bustling Skills Village where visitors can take part in workshops, classes, and talks about skills and how they shape our world.

The Skills Village will host eight different “skill families”: Arts and Crafts, Humanity and Care, From Garden to Plate, Tourism and Mobility, Industry and New Technologies, Communications and Digital, Construction and Building, and Ecological Transition. The skills families will chat to visitors, demonstrate their profession, and encourage them to interact with the skills in different fun ways. Career advisors will be on hand to guide young people through the career options for different skills.

One of the highlights of the Skills Village will be the presence of the Best Craftsmen of France. From ceramicists to bronze workers and engravers, visitors will get the rare chance to watch the best of France’s artistic trades in action.

Beyond Place Bellecour, and as an extension of the Skills Village, two Company Open Days will be held on 13 to 14 September. Free to all, companies in the Métropole of Lyon will be opening their doors to visitors for the first time, inviting them to chat with professionals and discover new careers.

The Skills Village is managed by WorldSkills France and the City of Lyon. Representatives from the City of Lyon will introduce visitors to the different skilled professions the city relies on, while ambassadors of WorldSkills France will answer questions about the Competition, and the scale of the preparations that happen behind the scenes. On Saturday 14 September, the Village will host Competitors from WorldSkills France, giving visitors the opportunity to meet the team.

To add to the entertainment, a big screen will broadcast a variety of content, carefully curated to match the theme of skills and capture the interest and attention of young visitors. With a dedicated street food and refreshment area, the organisers of the event have made sure that visitors have all they need to enjoy the experience at the Skills Village.

You can find more information about the Skills Village and other events in Lyon on the WorldSkills Lyon 2024 website, or visitors to the city can speak to the WorldSkills representative at the Lyon Tourism Office.

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.