Taking place in Shanghai from 23 to 25 September, WorldSkills Conference 2026 is embedding discussions about sustainability in its sessions to reflect the critical role skills play in addressing one of society’s most pressing challenges. On the third day of the Conference, the session “TVET and the green transition: Building policy coherence around skills demand” will bring together policymakers, educators, and industry leaders to turn that conversation into action.
The session will include UNIDO, UNESCO-UNEVOC, the OECD, and Festo, to share their viewpoints on the central role of skills development to achieve the green transition. Their perspectives reflect both the urgency of the challenge and the scale of the opportunity.
“The green transition is powered by people, but the demand for green skills is outpacing supply,” said Friedrich Huebler, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC. He added that “TVET helps countries put climate policies into practice by equipping learners with the skills for green jobs and workplaces”.
Informed by the knowledge, research, and experience of leading international organizations on skills development, WorldSkills Conference has become a platform to explore the role of skills in the green transition.
According to the OECD, workers will also need opportunities to upskill within their current jobs as tasks evolve, as well as pathways to reskill and move out of high-emission sectors into growing green occupations. Therefore, skills development is also critical for ensuring that the transition is inclusive and supports well-being. Malgorzata Kuczera, Project Manager, stresses that “providing accessible, high-quality training and employment support can reduce the economic costs of transition for individuals and increase public awareness of relevant policies,” which would help build more resilient and inclusive economies.
These ideas are reinforced by industry. “Skilled workers are central to the green transition because they turn policy, technology, and investment into real-world, reliable, safe, and efficient outcomes,” says Andy Hurst, Head of Global Sales at Festo, who argues that greening skills, economy, and society represents an inspiring business model for the future. For Mr. Hurst, green skills and green jobs will be the backbone of a greener life, but only if policy and private sector stakeholders commit to continuous upskilling, reskilling, and a culture of lifelong learning.
From an industrial development perspective, Juan Pablo Dávila, Head of Skill Development and Fair Production Unit at UNIDO, points to the scale of systemic change required. “The green transition requires changes in production processes and the adoption of resource-efficient technologies,” he says, noting that UNIDO’s Youth Empowerment Framework places young people at the centre as strategic drivers of this transformation. By aligning training with industrial growth, Mr Dávila argues, skills development ensures the workforce remains competitive while accelerating the move towards resilient, circular, and low-carbon industrial economies.
At WorldSkills Competition 2024, sustainable practice was an essential component in assessing WorldSkills Competitors. Its inclusion in WorldSkills Occupational Standards – a tool used globally for benchmarking Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) – ensures a wider and lasting impact, raising awareness among Competitors and educators on how to be more sustainable in everything they do.
As we celebrate Earth Day 2026 under the theme “Our Power, Our Planet,” we acknowledge the crucial role of communities to protect the environment, green their industries, and innovate to make societies more resilient to climate change.
“Our Power, Our Planet” affirms that the capacity to address environmental challenges is firmly established. Progress is happening across WorldSkills Member countries and regions: curricula are being greened, ties with industry are being strengthened, and production is becoming more sustainable.
The green transition cannot succeed without skilled workers, and skilled workers cannot meet the challenge without quality TVET systems, industry commitment, and coherent policy. WorldSkills Conference 2026 will bring these conversations to life.
Explore the full Conference programme or register today.