WorldSkills ASEAN Manila 2025 celebrates the best of southeast Asian skills

From 26 to 28 August 2025, WorldSkills ASEAN Manila 2025 showcased the best of the best across southeast Asia.

Launched in 1993, WorldSkills ASEAN has grown into a vital regional platform for vocational skills excellence. The 14th edition of the biennial competition returned to Manila in the Philippines, after the nation first hosted the event in 1996. Under the banner “ASEAN: Skilled for the Future”, the Competition reinforced the country’s strong commitment to vocational excellence and emerging industries in the region.

In his welcome message to visitors at the start of the Competition, the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, emphasized the importance of skills, saying, “This administration regards capacity-building as a cornerstone of ASEAN’s brighter future. In convening the finest of ASEAN’s skilled youth, this occasion honours labour as a vessel of dignity and recognizes talent as a resource worthy of attention and investment.”

WorldSkills ASEAN Manila 2025 was proud to host the largest number of skills to date. Nine of the ten ASEAN Member States took part: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. They were joined by Timor-Leste, which holds observer status in ASEAN and competed for the first time.

The event took place at the World Trade Centre Metro Manila and the Philippine Trade Training Centre in Pasay City. The overall event has drawn more than 20,000 people, making WorldSkills ASEAN Manila 2025 one of the largest skills‑focused gatherings in the region.

Over the three days of the Competition, nearly 300 young people took part in 32 skill competitions. This year’s programme highlighted both traditional trades and emerging skills such as Cyber Security, the Internet of Things, Autonomous Mobile Robotics, Fashion Technology, and 3D Digital Game Art.

In addition to the skill competitions, visitors could take part in skills exhibitions, benefit from career guidance programmes, and learn about One School, One Country, which pairs visiting country teams with local schools to foster cultural and educational exchange.

Learn more about WorldSkills ASEAN Manila 2025 or discover more about WorldSkills countries and regions.