WorldSkills Conference

Since 2007, WorldSkills Conference has brought together leaders in education, government, business, and industry from around the world to share best practice and learn about global trends and issues in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), skills demand, skills of the future as well as skills excellence and development.

WorldSkills Conference 2026 Declaration, Shanghai

As the world gathered in Shanghai to shape a skills-driven future, WorldSkills Members endorsed the Shanghai Declaration of WorldSkills Conference 2026. The declaration makes a commitment to prioritize skills development, position skills as a critical route to prosperity, and ensure equitable access to skills training and education. In the declaration, Members pledge to:

cultivate future-ready skills
strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration
develop innovative financing mechanisms
foster an inclusive skills culture
deepen international cooperation

The declaration aligns with Vision 2035, which Members adopted at WorldSkills General Assembly 2026.

Download the declaration

Building on worldSkills Conference 2024

MOVING TVET TO THE TOP OF THE GLOBAL AGENDA

Over two exhilarating days, WorldSkills Conference 2024 drew 1,000 attendees, all focused on propelling TVET to the top of the global agenda and tackling urgent skills development challenges.

More than 30 Ministers and government representatives, joined business, education, industry leaders and young people to delve into pressing topics from gender equity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to foundational skills, fragile economies, and skills for the green transition.

Their contributions helped elevate Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) on the global agenda and serve as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when people around the world unite behind a shared vision.

We are building on that momentum from 2024, turning inspiration into action through practical best-practice sharing, stronger international cooperation, and a focus on scalable solutions that bring the global TVET agenda to life.

Building on worldSkills Conference 2024

The WorldSkills Conference Coalition

The Conference Coalition is an advisory group to WorldSkills International. It provides high-level strategic advice to guide the direction and relevance of the Conference programme, ensuring thematic continuity across editions.

The Coalition brings together leading global, regional, and national organizations in skills development and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), alongside the host of the next WorldSkills Competition.

Their role is to:

contribute to the thematic development of the Conference programme
recommend session topics, speakers, and formats aligned with global priorities
support WorldSkills International in shaping a forward-looking agenda for skills development
provide insights that enhance the Conference’s global impact, reach, and credibility

WORLDSKILLS SHANGHAI 2026

From 22 to 27 September 2026, Shanghai was the meeting place for the world’s skills community, where east meets west, tradition meets innovation.

While over 1,400 young people from more than 60 countries and regions competed across 64 skill competitions, spectators experienced the WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 Expo — with career resources, educational activities, and Try-a-Skill — creating the world’s largest stage for advancing skilled careers, and the place to be inspired by how skills events can attract and activate the next generation. Shanghai is a hub of innovation, which made it the ideal location to spark new ideas and global partnerships in skills development.

WorldSkills Shanghai 2026
Opening Ceremony

22 September

WorldSkills Competition and Expo

23 to 26 September