WorldSkills Lyon 2024 drives skills transformation across France

Hosting a WorldSkills Competition brings many benefits to a nation, from increased tourism to global recognition for its TVET system. Since the 47th WorldSkills Competition came to an end in September 2024, WorldSkills France is capturing evidence of its powerful effect on young people, educators, and policymakers.

When thinking about the impact of WorldSkills Lyon 2024, WorldSkills France identified four strategic areas to evaluate the legacy of the Competition and demonstrate the broader value of skills to society, industry, and the economy:

1. Measuring and strengthening the impact of WorldSkills Lyon 2024
2. Making the Competition an exemplar event to learn about skills and occupations
3. Driving greater inclusion and accessibility in skills
4. Supporting national and international knowledge exchange

This work is already yielding results that future Hosts can build on.

Measuring and strengthening the impact of WorldSkills Lyon 2024

The ability to monitor and evaluate impact is critical for any Host. WorldSkills France has been engaging with key stakeholders since Lyon to capture feedback since the Competition. Its latest survey shows how skills have become more visible in France, with 90% of teachers saying that the Competition has helped their students discover new professions.

This mindset shift will be an important area to track and so WorldSkills France is also setting up an Impact Committee to further strengthen and formalize its impact measurement and management. This step reflects a broader commitment to improving the quality of skills systems through data, innovation, and collaboration. As part of its mandate, the Committee will share its data back with the WorldSkills community so everyone can benefit.

Making the Competition an exemplar event to learn about skills and occupations

WorldSkills Lyon 2024 set new standards for skills events and competitions and now WorldSkills France has used the legacy of the Competition to draw over 40,000 visitors to its National Competition, held at the Parc Chanot in Marseille, 16–18 October 2025.

Thanks to a strong partnership with France’s National Education Department and regional authorities, the team attracted more than 26,000 school students to the event to learn about 67 different skills. Over 100 representatives from the region’s businesses and trade bodies also attended, establishing even closer connections between TVET and industry.

The event was covered by 300 accredited media representatives who boosted the profile of the national competition and shone a spotlight on France’s most talented young people. Their interest led to over 1,000 print articles and more than 2.5 million views on Instagram.

Looking ahead, WorldSkills France is considering further improvements to its nationals to make them more sustainable, adaptable, and deployable across its regions. The organization recently launched a call for applications to host the 2027 edition and will soon reveal the region that will organize the 49th national competition with WorldSkills France.

Driving greater inclusion and accessibility in skills

Inclusion remains central to WorldSkills France and the legacy of Lyon.

A key highlight has been the launch of Parcours+ at the French nationals. The initiative ensured that 40 Competitors with disabilities could participate in 18 different trades for the first time ever. In a combined closing ceremony, 24 Parcours+ Competitors were presented with medals and selected to join the French Abilympics Team, which will represent France in Helsinki in May 2027. 

More than 1,200 accessibility requests were also processed on site, making the experience of the nationals comfortable and welcoming for all. It reinforces that advancing a skills movement requires inclusion, capability, and co-operation.

Support national and international knowledge exchange

Building on its legacy further, WorldSkills France is planning to relaunch its “Grand Concours” or its “Grand Competition for the Innovative Practices in Promoting Professions and Strengthening School-Business Relations” in 2026 and opening it up more widely to partners across education and industry.

International collaboration is also expanding. WorldSkills France held the “AI in Agri-tech Challenge” at its nationals, welcoming French-speaking participants from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Madagascar, Morocco, and France itself. The initiative brought together emerging technologies and cross-border participation, and was a successful forerunner to the Francophone Skills Competition, which will be hosted by Senegal in 2027.

Meanwhile, preparations for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 are already well underway. The WorldSkills France team is in training and hopes to build on its exceptional EuroSkills results in September 2025, where it won gold as well as the Best of Europe award in CNC Milling.

Florence Poivey, President of WorldSkills France, reflects, “We are delighted for our Competitors as they prepare to step onto the global stage for skills. Our reason for being is to show that excellence in competition is just one facet of our success. Putting the trade back at the heart of everyone’s desires is a formidable motivation for us. We will continue to build a legacy from Lyon, where skills are highly valued, their image and levels creating desire and pride, their access multiplied, and where partnerships drive lasting change.”

Read more about how other Members are strengthening their skills systems and preparing for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026.