The 48th WorldSkills Competition will be held from 22 to 27 September 2026 in Shanghai. How is all the preparatory work going? How to attract more people to understand and appreciate skills? As Shanghai kicked off the one-year countdown to the global event, Ms. Yang Jiaying, Party Secretary and Director-General of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security, and Secretary-General of WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 Organizing Committee, shared with us her vision.

Under the principle of “hosting an innovative and impactful event,” we have been concentrating our efforts in the following key areas. First, preparations for the WorldSkills Competition, the WorldSkills Expo, and the WorldSkills Conference are proceeding in an orderly manner. Second, operational support measures are being refined to better address participant needs, such as accommodation and border entry procedures, with coordinated efforts to secure favourable visa policies and other facilitation measures. Third, the brand handbook for the 48th WorldSkills Competition has been optimized, and the recent announcements of the Brand Ambassador and Skills Dream Ambassadors will help engage all citizens in this major event.

The WorldSkills Competition represents the highest standard of skill excellence and reflects the latest trends in industrial transformation. It provides us with valuable exposure to cutting-edge technologies and advanced techniques that can significantly aid in developing new business forms and models, as well as driving industrial innovation through scientific and technological advancements. The WorldSkills Competition also incorporates practical needs in production processes, which can promote school-enterprise collaboration, deeper integration between industry and education, and the talent development model of “industry, education, and evaluation.” This ensures that the training of skilled talent remains closely aligned with market demands in both quality and outcomes. As a key platform for selecting and nurturing outstanding skilled professionals and improving the vocational skills competition system, the event inspires more young people to explore, appreciate, and cultivate a passion for skills, empowering them to build a promising future through expertise.

To make the event more interesting and engaging, we have also launched WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 Expo and Try-a-Skill activities. The Expo showcases the latest explorations and practices in skill development through exhibitions, interactive experiences, and promotional sessions. The Try-a-Skill activities are organized by skill category in dedicated thematic zones. Visitors can have hands-on experience of different skills through visual interactions. These activities, which include unique Chinese skills and cutting-edge technologies, allow participants to appreciate the world of skills in a vibrant atmosphere and cultivate a genuine interest in skill training.

It has been our long-standing aspiration to host the WorldSkills Competition. From the announcement by the WorldSkills General Assembly that Shanghai would host the 48th edition, to the handover of the WorldSkills flag at the Closing Ceremony in Lyon, France last year, and now to the one-year countdown to WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, we have worked tirelessly to advance extensive preparations despite various challenges. Moving forward, we will devote ourselves fully to this critical phase of the event with even greater passion, precision, and perseverance. We look forward to presenting the world with an “innovative and impactful” skills festival in Shanghai in 2026. Furthermore, we aim to leverage the Competition as a platform to deepen exchanges and cooperation with all WorldSkills Members and relevant international organizations, and to enhance China’s contributions to the global skills community.