WorldSkills and UNIDO sign Joint Declaration to take partnership forward

WorldSkills and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have signed a Joint Declaration to strengthen cooperation in supporting skills development worldwide. The agreement was signed at the closing of the WorldSkills Croatia Conference 2025, held in Dubrovnik on 14 October during the second day of the WorldSkills General Assembly.

UNIDO has been a long-standing partner of the WorldSkills movement and an active member of the WorldSkills Conference Coalition. Since this year, it has also joined our social entrepreneurship programme – BeChangeMaker – as a partner.

The Joint Declaration reinforces both organizations’ shared commitment to advancing inclusive, sustainable, and industry-relevant training systems around the world, marking a new chapter in their collaboration to promote skills excellence and opportunity.

The document outlines key areas of cooperation aimed at strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems globally. These include global engagement through the participation in international events such as UNIDO’s Learning and Knowledge Development Facility (LKDF) or the WorldSkills Conference, and knowledge building through joint publications on best practices.

UNIDO also plans to integrate WorldSkills Occupational Standards and other methodologies into its projects to enhance the relevance and quality of training programmes. This collaboration will support the establishment of national skills competitions aligned with international benchmarks and create opportunities for trainers to engage in peer-to-peer learning and international exposure.

“Through this strategic partnership, we aim to empower young people to drive the industries of the future. The UNIDO Youth approach connects skills with purpose, turning learning into innovation and ambition into sustainable industrial progress. Together with WorldSkills, we’re ensuring that youth are not just prepared for jobs, they shape the green and digital transformation of industry itself” said Juan Pablo Dávila, Head of the Skills Development, Entrepreneurship and Fair Production Unit, UNIDO.

Highlighting how WorldSkills Members and the international skills community as a whole could benefit from this collaboration, WorldSkills CEO David Hoey said, “The signing of this Joint Declaration during WorldSkills Croatia Conference and our General Assembly is extremely timely. Among us are global skills leaders, and delegates from around the world, driving the WorldSkills movement at the national level and advancing TVET excellence globally.

“Skilled workers are pivotal to industrial progress and to national prosperity and resilience. The WorldSkills community welcomes the strengthening of our partnership, and we look forward to working together to advance our shared mission,” added Mr Hoey.

A specialized agency of the United Nations, UNIDO’s mission is to promote inclusive and sustainable industrial development in developing countries, emerging economies, and countries with economies in transition.

The Joint Declaration reflects a shared belief that by working together, WorldSkills and UNIDO can drive vocational excellence, strengthen industries, and advance the global agenda for skills and sustainable development.