Earlier this month, WorldSkills Conference 2024 launched under the theme of Moving TVET to the top of the global agenda. This international event, which will be take place 11 to 12 September alongside WorldSkills Lyon 2024, is intended to mobilize policymakers, educators, and industry to put skills development at the heart of their national growth strategies.
WorldSkills and its Conference Coalition Partners are setting an ambitious and challenging agenda of plenary sessions and discussions including topics such as gender segregation in skills and initiatives for fragile economies, as well as asking the question “Who is responsible for excellence in TVET?”
For WorldSkills Members, Global Partners, and the wider international skills community there has never been a better time to have these vital conversations. WorldSkills is maximizing the opportunity of having over 250,000 people in Lyon to celebrate skills excellence. Over two days, it will be staging the largest skills summit on European soil for years to come – not to be repeated until 2030 at the earliest.
With so many key decision-makers and influencers in Lyon, WorldSkills Conference 2024 will be a powerful platform for advocacy. Not only will the Conference educate people about the impact of TVET and raise awareness of how skills development can support positive human and economic development, but it hopes to equip delegates with the latest trends, data, and insights to take back to their countries and corporations to enhance the overall quality of TVET around the world.
WorldSkills Conference 2024 will enable networking, knowledge-exchange, and the sharing of best practice between delegates. With so many skills experts and influencers in one place, delegates will have many opportunities to connect, both formally and informally. Skills development relies on strong relationships between education, industry, and government and the Conference promises to further strengthen these collaborations.
As creator of the WorldSkills Occupational Standards, WorldSkills also plans to use the Conference to showcase the value and test the adoption of international standards. WorldSkills is working closely with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as they carry out the first international large-scale assessment of skills training called PISA-VET, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality and attractiveness of TVET. The Conference will be a well-timed platform to share these international initiatives with delegates so they can get involved.
Most importantly, the timing of WorldSkills Conference 2024 alongside WorldSkills Lyon 2024 will guarantee the voices of skilled young people are heard. The Conference will create many opportunities for young delegates to add their ideas and perspectives to the discussions. WorldSkills Champions Trust will also play a key part in the Conference, joining panels as representatives of skilled youth.
David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills International, urges the skills community to tap into the timely opportunity that WorldSkills Conference 2024 represents. He says, “Our world is increasingly uncertain, with more alarming evidence around the impact of climate breakdown, widening socioeconomic and gender gaps, economies in recovery, nations at conflict, and rapid digitization. Never before have countries needed to invest in skilling up the next generation to tackle these monumental challenges. The Conference offers us one of the best opportunities we have to share ideas, set new policies, and commit to investing in our future global security and prosperity.”
Find out more about the sessions at WorldSkills Conference 2024 and secure priority access.