In 2024, more than 1,000 participants – including over 30 Ministers – gathered to elevate TVET to the top of the global agenda. The impact was immediate and tangible. Members returned home with strengthened political backing, clearer policy direction, and new international partnerships.
WorldSkills Australia reflects on how WorldSkills Conference 2024 was critical in helping them gain support from federal and state ministers. Brigitte Collins, General Manager, WorldSkills Australia, and Board Member, WorldSkills International, said, “They were amazed by what they saw and heard at WorldSkills Conference 2024. It has given WorldSkills Australia more influence with policymakers and will allow us to bring more stakeholders to Shanghai.”
WorldSkills Members consistently describe the WorldSkills Conference in Lyon as a catalyst for their organization. WorldSkills Conference 2026 will take that momentum further – responding to rapid advances in AI by equipping Members with best practice sharing, policy insights, and practical tools needed to lead in a fast-changing global economy.
WorldSkills Norway believes the Conference is a valuable way to share international best practice in TVET. Benedikte Sterner, Official Delegate, WorldSkills Norway, said, “WorldSkills has a distinctive value bridging policy and practice, and the Conference is how we link WorldSkills with the global agenda. We need to connect Member organizations with broader international initiatives.”
What Conference participants can expect in Shanghai
From 23 to 25 September 2026, WorldSkills Conference 2026 will take place alongside WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 at the world’s largest convention centre, the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC).
Shanghai builds on Lyon’s momentum by expanding both scope and ambition:
- A three-day programme (an additional day compared to 2024) focused on scaling national systems and shaping the post-2030 global TVET agenda.
- Deep dives into AI, digital transformation, green skills, and financing apprenticeships.
- Ministerial engagement led by China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS).
- Guided tours of the WorldSkills Competition and Expo – connecting policy discussions directly to skills excellence in action.
- Field visits to examples of China’s TVET system and industry collaboration models.
The Conference theme, Shaping a Skills-Driven Future, reinforces that collaboration across borders is essential to prepare for accelerating technological and economic change.
David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills International, said, “WorldSkills Conference 2026 will gather together leading thinkers in TVET from around the world, including global policy makers, the heads of international corporations, representatives from IGOs and NGOs, and innovators in digital skills and training.”
He went on, “In this critical moment, we must connect skills policy and practice with ambition. Building on the advancements and momentum generated in Lyon, we are excited to deepen that engagement – sharing national learnings, testing new ideas, and forging partnerships that prepare us for the age of AI. I guarantee you will return home with the insight, connections, and momentum needed to deliver real national impact.”