WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 journey begins with planning meetings in China

Gathered in Shanghai, China, for the November opening of the WorldSkills Museum, representatives from WorldSkills International met with officials from China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) and Shanghai’s municipality to begin preparations for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026.

The city of Shanghai won the right to host the 48th WorldSkills Competition at the General Assembly on 26 September 2022, following the cancellation of WorldSkills Shanghai 2022.

The creation of the WorldSkills Museum was part of China’s bid to host the WorldSkills Competition, with the work to collect much of the history of the organization beginning in 2017.

The WorldSkills Museums opening ceremony – a major milestone for WorldSkills – was attended by Minister of MOHRSS Wang Xiaoping, and the Mayor of Shanghai Gong Zheng, who jointly launched the Museum opening device alongside WorldSkills President Chris Humphries.

Also present were Yu Jiadong, Vice Minister of MOHRSS, and Hua Yuan, Vice Mayors of Shanghai, who delivered speeches highlighting the importance of recognizing the legacy of skilled workers in the development of humanity.

Later, Mr Humphries and WorldSkills CEO David Hoey had an opportunity to discuss the ongoing development of WorldSkills China as well as the WorldSkills Competition in a fruitful meeting with Minister Xiaoping, Vice Minister Jiadong, and Jia Huaibin, Director General of MOHRSS General Office.

A WorldSkills delegation then traveled to Beijing to meet with State Councilor Chen Yiqin.

Conveying the importance that his government attaches to the development of vocational skills, Mr Yiqin said that stakeholders at all levels have been “achieving remarkable results” by implementing guidelines to foster skilled talents. He also added that China will work closely with WorldSkills to ensure that WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 is “innovative and has broad influence.”

Hosting the WorldSkills Competition aligns with the China’s 14th Five-year Plan for Vocational Education and Training, aimed at upgrading and expanding its education and training system, and making it more accessible. Incorporating WorldSkills standards and driving curricula reforms is part of their plans to renew its training system.

The WorldSkills Museum is now open to the public free of charge under reservation, through the official WeChat account of the WorldSkills Museum.