A member of WorldSkills International

What is WorldSkills

WorldSkills New Zealand is a member of the international WorldSkills movement. Globally WorldSkills is made up of 85 member countries, whose collective vision is ‘improving our world with the power of skills’. As the global hub for skills excellence, WorldSkills has a mandate to inspire, develop, and influence regarding vocational skills.

There are many different aspects to WorldSkills, although one proven way to achieve the collective vision is through running international skill competitions, which are held every two years. Like the Olympics these international competitions are open to all member countries to send a team. A key criterion of these skill competitions is age. Given the desire to build young people for the future, the international competitions are for youth; across most skills 21 or under, several skills 25 and under.

The international competition brings together young people from across 85 countries around the world. Competitors have identified themselves as the best of the best in their respective country’s skill occupations, and they have one common goal: to win titles for themselves, their countries, and their vocations.

Over its 70-year history, WorldSkills International has come to symbolise the pinnacle of excellence in vocational training.