A Champion-designed WorldSkills medal

The medal designs for WorldSkills Competitions are typically done by the Competition Organizer, providing an important platform to embed a lasting legacy into WorldSkills history. The medals not only symbolize skills excellence but also include symbols of the host city or country, making them unique for each event.

WorldSkills Champion Jacqueline Tanzer was tasked with the responsibility to create a medal that would represent an extraordinary moment in WorldSkills history, as 15 countries and regions hosted WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition over 12 weeks.

Jacqueline worked alongside the WorldSkills marketing team to design the general branding for the event. As the specific campaign – ‘Bring ON Skills’ – was launched, Jacqueline created graphics that would be used by all Hosts to brand their event signage, videos, advertising, social media posts, and eventually the medals.

Being able to design the medal was “a once in a lifetime opportunity” for Jacqueline, who says its creation process was very different from other assignments.

“Integrating the Chinese symbol was something we decided quite early in the process. We really wanted to integrate it as a recognition to WorldSkills China, because they had done years of preparation for a Competition that was eventually cancelled due to the pandemic, and they produced the medals for the Competition,” explains Jacqueline.

The concentric rings around the WorldSkills logo represent the tenon and mortise lines, which originate from the Luban lock, a traditional Chinese architectural element. The mortise and tenon graphic was part of the original design, signifying the constant pursuit of exquisite craftsmanship and infinite possibilities for future development.

A character from the ancient seal script from China was also carried forward into the new medal. The ‘Ji’ character is the oldest in China, considered to be more than 4,000 years old. The left side of the symbol is the hand, and the right side means support. Together, the symbol means ‘skill’.

The other distinctive element in the medals were the names of the Host countries and regions for WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition. Jacqueline says that “it was essential all the Host Members had mention on the medals as they made the events possible.”

At the last event in Salzburg, WorldSkills CEO David Hoey presented Jacqueline a five-piece medal set in appreciation of her role and design work for WorldSkills.

“On an ongoing basis, Jacqueline’s creativity can be seen in WorldSkills branding from videos to large-scale publications. She understands our brand and our values, making her the perfect candidate to design the medals,” explained Shawna Bourke, WorldSkills Director of Marketing and Communications. “Jacqueline’s creativity and technical skills make her a great designer. Her ability to bring the vision of WorldSkills to life, makes her an artist.”

Jacqueline Tanzer competed in Graphic Design Technology at WorldSkills São Paulo 2015 and served on the WorldSkills Champions Trust from 2018 to 2022.