Skills CoLab
Connect, exchange, and learn from project leaders shaping the future of skills development.
The Skills CoLab at WorldSkills Conference 2026 will bring together pioneering skills development projects from 21 countries for two days of structured, face-to-face exchange in Shanghai.
What is the Skills CoLab?
The Skills CoLab is a new format launching for the first time at the WorldSkills Conference 2026. Projects from around the world are brought together in a dedicated space where Conference participants can book structured one-to-one and small-group consultations with the project teams of their choice.
It is designed for purposeful exchange. Conversations are focused and every meeting is a genuine opportunity to share knowledge, explore partnership, and connect with the people behind the most innovative work in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
The Skills CoLab takes place on 23 and 24 September 2026, embedded in the WorldSkills Conference programme at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai.
For Conference participants
The Skills CoLab is open to all registered Conference participants. Browse the full project catalogue, book your consultations, and arrive ready to connect for conversations that matter.
Browse
Before arriving in Shanghai, every registered Conference participant will receive access to the full Skills CoLab project catalogue. Take your time to explore and identify the projects most relevant to your work.
Book
Through the Conference matchmaking platform, you will pre-select the projects you want to meet and request consultation slots in advance. Your personalised schedule will be confirmed before you travel, so you will arrive in Shanghai knowing exactly who you are meeting and when.
Connect
The Skills CoLab will run across two sessions on 23 and 24 September. Each project will occupy a dedicated, numbered station. Conference participants with confirmed meetings will move between stations across a series of focused 25-minute consultation rounds: purposeful, one-to-one or small-group conversations with the project teams you have chosen.
Registration is still open for WorldSkills Conference 2026. Get your tickets now for the opportunity to meet and connect with innovative project leaders.
Closes: 5 July 2026
The selected projects
The selected projects represent a diverse cross-section of the global skills development community – from government agencies and international organisations to social enterprises, research institutions, and WorldSkills Members – spanning five world regions and addressing the most pressing challenges in TVET today.
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Simulation Centre
A tripartite ecosystem driving innovation through immersive training and specialized skills for the future workforce.
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WorldSkills Barbados Future Skills Camp
Where young innovators train for the future: Hands on, Minds on, Future on.
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Beyond the Podium
Measuring what actually makes skilled workers succeed.
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Physical AI and Digitalisation in Smart Manufacturing
Festo and Tsinghua University empower Youth for the AI and Digitalisation Revolution in Manufacturing
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LLM in Smart Transportation Education
Empowering vocational training with localized large language models and multimodal AI teaching assistants.
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Augmented Reality for Welding Education
Integrating AR simulation into welding training to increase efficiency, safety, and cost savings.
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Dress Up & Stay Home
Connecting secondary school students with WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 to inspire regional development.
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Private Sector-driven Hospitality Skills for Employment
Raising hospitality standards across Georgia by training a new generation of skilled, confident and service-driven professionals.
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Towards a Global TVET Agenda
A multilateral initiative for TVET excellence, evidence and innovation.
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BQ-Portal – Global VET Transparency Database
Digital platform to foster transparency in VET and facilitate the assessment of professional qualifications worldwide
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Accelerating Change in Agricultural TVET (ACTIVATE)
Transforming Technical and Vocational Education Through Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Pedagogy for Equitable Workforce Participation
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AgriDrone
Advancing Smart Farming Skills through Vocational Education and Training
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Digital Mental Readiness Assessment Platform
Standardized digital tool measuring cognitive ability, attention, mindset and competitive drive for WorldSkills competitor selection.
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Bridging Higher Education Industry & Workforce
Creating scalable models and industry driven learning ecosystems for future-ready skills in the era of AI
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FutureSkills Prime
Building India’s Digital Workforce
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Skill on Wheels
Mobile Smart Training Labs for Last-Mile Skilling & Green Livelihoods
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The programme of three classrooms
Integrated educational innovation programme designed to establish three specialized laboratories focused on Electronics, Robotics, and Prototyping
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Green Jobs for Kenyan Youth
Creating real opportunities for young people in Kenya’s growing clean energy markets.
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Coaching Cycle for Employment & Entrepreneurship
Vocational Training and Employment Support Services (VTESS) Project implemented by Swisscontact and HSLU
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AI WIM for TVET
Transforming occupational standards into AI-generated teaching materials for TVET instructors.
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AI for TVET Quality Systems
AI tools for the standard-setting and quality assurance backbone of vocational education systems.
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AkoVoice — Open Voice Assessment
Open voice-based assessment that works on a phone, wherever learners are.
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EcoPatch Circular Textile Hub
Transforming textile waste into skills, livelihoods, and sustainable community enterprises
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Revitalization of Ajrak with Natural Dyes
Reviving a 4,000-year craft tradition through sustainable dyeing, artisan skills training, and market innovation in Pakistan.
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Green Skills in the Desert
An apprenticeship system for the renewable energy ecosystem in Saudi Arabia
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E2E – From Education to Employment
SkillCompass: Connecting Serbian youth to career pathways through scientifically validated diagnostics and personalized counselling.
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Degree Apprenticeship Sustainability Projects
Driving innovation and participation through a WorldSkills competition at the University of Exeter.
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Play Your Way Into Career
A game-based approach to career adaptability for young people across TVET pathways.
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Skills Without Borders
A scalable communication credentialing model connecting skills training to global employability.
