What looks like magic, WorldSkills calls excellence

On 15 July, millions of people around the world will mark World Youth Skills Day, a day dedicated to equipping young people with the skills they need to thrive. This year’s theme, set by UNESCO-UNEVOC, is “Skills for a shared future”. It recognizes the vital role that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) plays in building more inclusive, peaceful, resilient, and sustainable societies.

In the WorldSkills Competition and Conference year, this idea is significant for the WorldSkills community. This September, global leaders, educators, heads of industry, and influencers will meet in China to see the world’s best talent compete at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. WorldSkills Conference delegates, will engage with the ideas shaping that talent’s future through panels and discussions on skills policy, the role of AI in TVET, and how the labour market is evolving to meet industry’s changing demands. Visitors will witness skills that appear to be almost magical, from a perfect weld and a flawless haircut to a website coded in a few hours and a dish plated to perfection.

But what looks like magic, WorldSkills calls excellence.

These skills are in fact the result of relentless practice, repeated failure, and the determination to keep improving before getting it right. And behind every skilled professional is a long journey of investment at many different levels. It is about the Competitor who commits to mastering their craft, the Experts and trainers with patience and experience, the skills systems that aim for global standards, the industries that invest in continuous development, and the governments who prioritize skills development.

On World Youth Skills Day 2026, WorldSkills is supporting UNESCO-UNEVOC and using its platforms and people to highlight the knowledge, expertise, and resources that are needed to skill up our world’s youth. It is a call to action to national leaders and global policymakers to invest in the future by investing in skills.

David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills International, supports this message, saying, “We need skilled young people more than ever. As artificial intelligence, the green transition, and rapid social change reshape labour markets, TVET is critical. Skills are the building blocks for sustainable societies, they close gaps in industry, they bring stability and security to nations, and they drive economic growth.”

He continues, “In Shanghai, the world will see something magical. They will be in awe of the mastery on show. But the young people who step onto that stage and the Experts supporting them behind the scenes have put in years of hard work, long before anyone is watching. We want to use World Youth Skills Day to make their efforts visible and show how much we value our skilled youth by committing new investment into TVET.”

To celebrate World Youth Skills Day, Narmeen Almarzooqi and Nurit Davidowicz from the WorldSkills Champions Trust will be contributing to a global webinar organized by UNESCO-UNEVOC that connects policymakers, educators, employers, youth organizations, and learners together to discuss how skills can shape a shared future. WorldSkills is also encouraging its community to take part in a global youth survey, gathering insights from young people aged 19 to 35 on what they need to thrive.

Representatives from the WorldSkills Champions Trust will also be adding their reflections to this year’s World Youth Skills Day, sharing their own experiences of training that led to their “magical performance” at a Competition and later in their communities.

The WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 Executive Bureau is also preparing further Ambassador announcements and have organised activities to promote the Competition and to celebrate World Youth Skills Day.

Shawna Bourke, Director of Marketing and Communications at WorldSkills International, is leading the campaign and says, “What skilled people achieve in every corner of the world, every day, looks like magic. But what we don’t see is the relentless practice, the dedication, and the drive behind it. That magic is worthy of great celebration because it’s essential to how the world runs. Our aim is to loudly celebrate the people who quietly keep the world moving, and make sure the world notices.”