The WorldSkills international competition, held last week in Lyon, France, showcased the talents of 1,400 competitors from 70 countries in 62 categories, ranging from jewellery making to welding and hairdressing to aircraft maintenance. Open to participants under 23, the event highlighted vocational skills across six sectors: construction, social services, engineering, ICT, creative arts and fashion, and logistics. The competition aimed to demonstrate the excellence and adaptability of traditional crafts in modern times, addressing labour shortages and encouraging more young people to pursue vocational training.
The event included a Parade of Nations during its opening ceremony, which featured a welcome from French President Emmanuel Macron. Over four days, competitors completed test projects, culminating in an exhibition of their work at Lyon's Eurexpo in front of thousands of spectators.
In the creative arts and fashion categories, notable winners included Austria’s Manuel Bender, who won gold in floristry, and Yanting Wu from China, who earned gold in game art. Other gold medalists were from Korea and China in fields like fashion technology, jewellery, and visual merchandising. Running alongside the competition was the WorldSkills Conference, which discussed AI, vocational education, and future skills development. The competition highlighted the innovation and evolving nature of traditional skills, stressing their importance for modern employability and education systems.