WorldSkills General Assembly 2023 closes in Dublin

WorldSkills General Assembly 2023 ended after a week of strategic meetings and discussions under the theme “Together, We are WorldSkills,” reflecting the unity within the WorldSkills movement, while experiencing Irish hospitality and charm.

Planning for WorldSkills Lyon 2024 was a key priority, with the Organizing Committee defining three of their main objectives:

• Inspire pride in young people to practise their skills with excellence.
• To create an innovative visitor experience and education programme to lead young people into VET careers.
• To prioritize sustainability, social, and environmental responsibilities.

The team put great emphasis on the importance of monitoring and reporting the impact of the Competition, and to continue optimizing, and evolving the event to be efficient and sustainable.

Key discussions went into how the Competitions of the future are selected to ensure the skills portfolio stays current and capable of meeting the demands of global industries, which are evolving faster than ever before.

The week included a session on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, led by EDI consulting group, The Unmistakables, developing strategies for continued work on integrating EDI principles into the movement.

Over half of the WorldSkills Global Partners were present in Dublin, providing their perspective on the future demands required by industry for skilled talent.

General Assembly 2023 also formally ratified the entry of the newest Member of WorldSkills, Kyrgyztan.

Grohe was officially welcomed as a WorldSkills Global Partner, although active as a Global Partner since 2022, even hosting part of WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition.

Grohe was among an impressive group of international brands who supported WorldSkills in countless ways during the 46th WorldSkills Competition. Some of them, even as Hosts, opening their facilities for skill competitions.

Each of the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition Hosts and Presenting Partner Samsung were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the hosting of the event.

A historic milestone in the establishment of WorldSkills Africa was achieved, with the pre-launch of the regional platform to harness the power of skills for Africa’s development.

Progress was made to define the scope of the WorldSkills Global Research Council and to determine the next phase of development. Bringing together a selected group of people, the Council will start creating an online resource library, and promote research so that WorldSkills can collect data on the impact of skills Competitions.

The sessions also discussed Finland’s advancement of the WorldSkills Occupational Standards Development Centre, which works along a strong network across Finland as well as VET providers, ministries, industry, and partners such as the ILO, UNESCO, and Cedefop.

Tributes were paid to past President Jos de Goey and his ambition to support young people to hone their skills and develop their talents. Recognizing the lasting legacy he has left in the organization, President Chris Humphries said that, “Jos would have been proud of how we faced the challenges of the past few years…”

The General Assembly also offered a standing ovation to Terry Cooke, Board member – Strategic Development and former Treasurer, for his many years of service to the WorldSkills movement.

The next General Assembly will take place in the ancient city of Dubrovnik in Croatia in 2025.