46th WorldSkills Competition postponed

WorldSkills International officially announced today the postponement of WorldSkills Shanghai 2021 by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

WorldSkills International has communicated and collaborated closely with its Members, Competition Organizers, Partners, and stakeholders throughout 2020, and has recently hosted a series of meetings with all stakeholders to transparently and collaboratively consider all possible scenarios around risk management and risk mitigation. This decision was made today based on facts, educated and informed forecasts, lessons learned from other events and organizations, and strategic perspectives built around what is best for all stakeholders. 

WorldSkills International believes an early and clear decision is best for all stakeholders. It provides a much higher degree of certainty for everyone that then allows planning, managing, and recalibrating the next 12-24 months (and the future beyond that).

This decision means that all future events will also be moved by one year so WorldSkills Lyon 2023 will move to 2024.

WorldSkills China and the Municipality of Shanghai fully support the postponement and appreciates the strong partnership with WorldSkills and its Members and Partners and is committed to an event that is full of innovation and wide-reaching impact. The actual rescheduled date is not yet finalized but is expected to be between October to November 2022.

WorldSkills France and WorldSkills Lyon 2023 Competition Organizer also fully support the postponement and future cycle changes due to their understanding and respect for the investment of a Competition host and the benefits and legacy achieved.

Postponing the Competitions allows for the selection, training, and proper celebration of the achievements of the young, skilled Champions. It also allows Members to “reboot” their national activities and programmes in 2021.

“Our Competitors represent the skilled talent that has been essential in the global response to the pandemic, demonstrating without a doubt that skills change lives,” said Chris Humphries, President and Chair of the Board. “We are grateful for the support of both WorldSkills China and WorldSkills France and their organizing teams who have worked closely with WorldSkills International to reach what we all believe is the best solution to preserve the integrity and spirit of the Competition.”

WorldSkills Members local and national competitions were put on hold throughout 2020, delaying the selection and training of teams to participate in WorldSkills Shanghai 2021. Members around the world have already begun planning and hosting alternative Competitions and online training programmes to continue the work of encouraging young people to take up vocational education and training.

“We believe more than ever that skills and young people will lead us down the road to global economic recovery and prosperity,” said David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills International. “Alongside our Members and Global Partners, we will use the next 12 months to continue connecting with young people through a series of exciting and innovative programmes that will embrace a year of innovation and inspire more young people to take up skills.”

The 46th WorldSkills Competition will be hosted in Shanghai, China in 2022 featuring over 1,400 Competitors from more than 60 countries and regions, competing in over 60 skills. WorldSkills Competitions create a global platform to develop help young people who want to change their lives and the fortunes of their communities and societies.

About WorldSkills

WorldSkills is the global hub of skills excellence, which promotes vocational education and training for young people in over 80 Member countries and regions. Every two years we host the world championships of skills and we passionately believe that skills change lives. Formed in 1950, our Members promote skills to two thirds of the world’s population. www.worldskills.org  

Contact

Shawna Bourke, Senior Manager Marketing and Communications
shawna.bourke@worldskills.org

Images

Find images here.