WorldSkills Lyon 2024 ends a summer of skills and success in France

Named by the French government as a “Grande Cause Nationale” in recognition of its value to the country, WorldSkills Lyon 2024 has also established the city of Lyon as a global hub of skills excellence and a warm and welcoming host.

But what is the legacy of WorldSkills Lyon 2024 for France’s third largest event this summer?

It is clear that the event will leave a lasting impression at a local, regional, and national level. Within the city, the Competition has stimulated the local economy through increased tourism, hospitality services, and infrastructure development, thanks to over 140,000 people visiting Eurexpo Lyon last week.

A huge amount of people power also went into WorldSkills Lyon 2024. More than 1,200 volunteers offered their time and energy to make the Competition a success and ensure visitors had an uplifting experience.

Samantha, a volunteer from Barbados, said, “The atmosphere here has been incredible. You can feel the passion and dedication radiating from every Competitor. It is not just about winning – it is about pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Watching these young people at work, you cannot help but feel optimistic about the future. I feel honoured to have played a part in that.” 

For a week, the centre of Lyon was transformed into a Village des Métiers, or Skills Village, at Place Bellecour, where people could engage with different skills and learn about new careers. Meanwhile, the Sports & Skills exhibition at the Rhône Prefecture also drew large crowds, highlighting the connections between WorldSkills Competitors and athletes.

Rachel Crawford, WorldSkills Champions Trust representative for Oceania and ASEAN, joined the crowds at the Skills Village to try her hand at the skills on show. She said, “It is so fun when you get to interact with the WorldSkills movement and see all of the public get to try a skill.”

Local business got into the spirit of sharing with the Journées Portes Ouvertes, or Company Open Days, which gave visitors unprecedented access to local business through behind-the-scenes industry tours. Local French industries and trade associations were also invited to Eurexpo to see skills excellence first-hand during the competition.

Schools in Lyon and across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region had a chance to get up-close to Competitors through One School One Country (OSOC). WorldSkills Lyon 2024 paired over 50 local schools with WorldSkills Member teams. The initiative formed a close connection between Members and schools, encouraging cultural exchange on both sides. The 5,000 students who took part in the programme also came to visit Eurexpo to see their new skills heroes in action and go home inspired.

One teacher at La Martiniere-Duchere School was paired with WorldSkills Colombia and has loved seeing the impact OSOC has had at the school over the last few months. She said, “Opportunities like this are so important to bring people, different cultures, and nations together.”

For Lyon residents, national, and international visitors, WorldSkills offered a host of experiences to build a deeper understanding of the power of skills. Visitors got hands-on at 51 Try-a-Skills, immersing themselves in new worlds. Some got to run a “bubble production line” with Festo while others operated a robot on a virtual farm with Studica. Each person who visited the Competition will have left with a new perspective on the value of a skilled profession.

WorldSkills Global Partners also took the competition out into the community, literally. IAPMO and GROHE have set up a social impact project with BTP CFA Rhône training school, approximately 5km north of the city of Lyon. They plan to repurpose materials and fittings from the Plumbing and Heating skill competition and use them to create a new washroom for men and women. As well as bringing a disused space back to life, the project gives students a chance to test out their skills on a live project.

As workshops are dismantled and flights take off, there is confidence that the legacy of WorldSkills Lyon 2024 will live on, inspiring students, teachers, local residents and businesses to think about TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) with a new perspective and, in their own way, continue to support skills excellence.

Read about the benefits of hosting a WorldSkills Competition.