UNIDO to host WorldSkills Conference Coalition and hybrid event on demand-driven skills development

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will welcome the WorldSkills Conference Coalition to its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on 2 March to advance the programme of WorldSkills Conference 2026. The following day, UNIDO will host a hybrid event, 'Demand-Driven Skills for Youth Empowerment and Industrial Transformation', open to UNIDO Member States and the wider skills community.

The WorldSkills Conference Coalition brings together leading international organizations – including UNESCO, ILO, OECD, the World Bank, and UNIDO – to shape the content and direction of WorldSkills Conference. As a platform for multilateral collaboration, the Coalition works to ensure the Conference strengthens national skills policies, fosters international cooperation, and connects the evidence and experience of its members to the challenges facing skills systems worldwide.

Equipping young people with demand-driven skills is essential to support industrial transformation in a context of rapid technological change, demographic pressures, and the transition toward greener economies. The event on 3 March, titled ‘Demand-Driven Skills for Youth Empowerment and Industrial Transformation’, will explore practical approaches, tools, and industry-led initiatives that strengthen demand-driven skills development through panels, presentations, and fireside chats.

Skills development and employability is one of the four core pillars of UNIDO’s recently launched Youth Empowerment Framework (PDF, 15MB). The framework emphasizes access to demand-driven, industry-relevant technical and vocational education and training and lifelong learning as key enablers for young people to engage in productive work and contribute to more sustainable and inclusive economies.

Building on the Joint Declaration between UNIDO and WorldSkills signed in Dubrovnik in October 2025, the event will bring together representatives from UNIDO Member States, WorldSkills Conference Coalition partners, and public- and private-sector partners. It aims to provide practical insights, data-driven tools, and examples of effective approaches from UNIDO, partner organizations, and the private sector to accelerate industry-training alignment and innovation through skills development initiatives.

WorldSkills President Francis Hourant will deliver a keynote address on the role of WorldSkills in driving systemic change and inspiring more young people to pursue skilled careers. Nurit Davidowicz, WorldSkills Champions Trust representative for Europe, will also share her personal journey through skills development, and moderate a panel discussion on innovative approaches to skills assessment and measuring youth readiness for work.

The conversations in Vienna will serve as a stepping stone towards WorldSkills Conference 2026: Shaping a Skills-Driven Future, which will bring together governments, industry, and the global skills community in Shanghai, China, from 23 to 25 September 2026.

Register to take part in the event online on 3 March from 14:00 to 17:00 (GMT+1).