The pace of change is accelerating, pushing skills to evolve faster than ever to meet the demands of industry and society. From the mainstreaming of artificial intelligence (AI) to the green transition, the future of work depends on how the next generation of skilled professionals is prepared and empowered.
WorldSkills Conference 2026 will explore how innovation is not only changing the world of work but also helping TVET systems stay relevant, bridge training gaps, and better assess the acquisition of skills.
A conversation with Stanley Black & Decker’s President and CEO, Christopher J Nelson, will open the programme, arguing that the skilled trades will be among the most essential forces shaping the future. The concept of innovation ecosystems will then guide the opening plenary as a lens for identifying the factors leading to systems based on excellence, cooperation, and inclusion.
The second day of the Conference will address AI, the most discussed, transformative element in the world of work. Picking up on the topic from WorldSkills Conference 2024, the session “Ready or not? AI’s real impact on tomorrow’s workforce” will gather leading industry figures to look at artificial intelligence through the lens of human capital.
Oliver Niese, Head of Digital Business and Board Member at Festo Didactic – sitting on the panel again two years on from Lyon – will assert that the future belongs to “people who combine technical skills with curiosity, critical thinking and the confidence to work alongside AI”.
That combination of human and technological capability is echoed by Yi Guo, Vice President APAC, Refinish Coatings at Surventis, who identifies “the ability to harness data, adopt advanced technologies, and continually learn and adapt” as key to business acceleration.
Dion Smith, EVP Global Partner Ecosystem, Siemens, argues that “AI is simply the greatest accelerator of human capability we’ve ever created. The nations and organisations that win won’t be those with the best algorithms, they’ll be those that invest fastest in the skills, curiosity, and adaptability of their people.”
AI’s effect on TVET will be further explored in other sessions throughout Day 2, including a preview of a pilot project developed by the OECD, China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and East China Normal University to use AI for skills assessment.
A new initiative at WorldSkills Conference 2026, the Skills CoLab will bring 26 innovative skilling projects from around the world to Shanghai. Conference participants will be able to schedule bilateral meetings over three different sessions, opening opportunities for best-practice sharing and cooperation.
Under the theme “Shaping a skills-driven future”, WorldSkills Conference 2026 will take place from 23 to 25 September at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), Shanghai, China, alongside WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, the world’s biggest skills competition. Structured around three pillars – innovation, inclusion, and international cooperation – the Conference will bring together policy makers, industry, educators, and youth to shape skills solutions for a rapidly changing world.
Read more about the Conference at WorldSkills Conference 2026 – September 2026.