A reflection on special highlights from 2022

No one could have predicted what 2022 had in store for WorldSkills, but the resilience of our community came as no surprise. As the year draws to a close, join us in looking back on the highlights of an unexpected yet impactful 12 months and the strength of the people that make up the WorldSkills movement.

Innovating around our WorldSkills Competition

From September to November, WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition was hosted thanks to the exceptional planning, cooperation, and resilience of our community.

The hard work of our Members, Partners, Experts, Workshop Managers, and Skill Management teams meant 62 skill competitions in 26 cities could be hosted for 1,000 Competitors from 57 countries and regions.

The WorldSkills movement owes so much to our 15 Host Members: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, South Tyrol, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and all our Sponsors and Partners including Host Partners: Lincoln Electric, Groehe, and DMG MORI.

Special thanks to Samsung, who agreed to be the Overall Event Presenter for the fifth time. Special Edition was a truly extraordinary achievement that has inspired us all.

Advancing education reform

This year, WorldSkills engaged in a number of global partnerships that aim to embed social, economic, and climate justice into VET systems, and ensure learners have the skills to build a more equitable and sustainable future for themselves and their communities, including:

• WorldSkills brought decades of experience and insights to the table as a Stakeholder Co-Lead of the 2022 UN Transforming Education Summit. It led to the launch of a new Greening Education Partnership.
• WorldSkills was the recipient of the Stanley Black & Decker Global Impact Challenge - a grant designed to empower marginalized young people in Africa through skills. The funding is being used to deliver “Train the Trainer” programmes in Uganda.
• Our 2022 campaigns, such as #BreakTheBias and #SkillsSustain are helping continue important conversations around equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Programmes like BeChangeMaker and BeChangeMaker Africa elevated skilled entrepreneurs from around the world. This important initiative was highlighted by Happy Pads, winner of BeChangeMaker 2022, showcase at the recent US Africa Leaders Summit.
• Skills development in Africa remains a strategic priority. The WorldSkills community gathered to celebrate the second WorldSkills Africa Competition in Swakopmund, Namibia.
• In September, the new digital credentialing programme was launched to over 6,000 Competitors, Experts, and Delegates to make it easier for participants and supporters to share their WorldSkills achievements.

Coming together in solidarity

Acting together for good is a vital sign of a community’s resilience, which is why WorldSkills remains steadfast in our support for the people of Ukraine, WorldSkills Ukraine, and all those who use skills to build respect, dignity, peace, and prosperity around the world.

Looking ahead together

Throughout 2022 national and regional competitions and programmes continued around the world. Grassroot initiatives are encouraging more young people to try skills, and valuable partnerships are being forged among nations and industries to attract greater investment in VET to close the skills gap.

At the end of WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition, we watched the WorldSkills flag pass to WorldSkills Lyon 2024.

WorldSkills is currently recruiting a new term of WorldSkills Champions Trust Representatives to add more powerful, youthful voices to our movement.

The end of 2022 gives our community a much-needed opportunity to pause and reflect after a momentous year.

We are left in no doubt about the strength of the WorldSkills movement and the role each of us can play in delivering our vision - to improve our world with the power of skills.