Left to right: Nader Imani (Festo Didactic), Elfi Klumpp (WorldSkills Germany), Kandeh K. Yumkella (UNIDO) and Simon Bartley (WorldSkills International)

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will work with WorldSkills International and WorldSkills Germany on generating worldwide awareness of the essential contribution that skills and industrial development make to the achievement of economic success.

This was agreed today at a meeting between UNIDO Director-General, Kandeh K. Yumkella, WorldSkills President, Simon Bartley, and WorldSkills Germany Managing Board Member, Elfi Klumpp.

“Traditional trade and craft skills along with the newer technology multi-skilled vocations make an essential contribution to the economic and social well being of people around the world,” said Yumkella. “Our cooperation with WorldSkills aims at fostering a symbiosis between industry and education and, by doing so, creating global awareness on various levels in the education and industry sector as well as in governmental institutions.”

Korean national Hee Jae Yoo takes the gold medal, Japan’s Yuki Okayama secures silver and Andrin Cavegn from Switzerland takes the bronze in the “Industrial Control, Skill 19” category at the 41st WorldSkills Competition held in London in October. As a product sponsor of the Industrial Control competition, Siemens provided the finalists with automation and drive technology components for the contest.

London, United Kingdom (Monday, 10th October, 2011) – On Monday, 10th October, 2011 the official handover of the leadership of WorldSkills International (WSI) took place. Tjerk Dusseldorp, who has served as President of WSI for 12 years, stepped down and Simon Bartley is stepping up to take his place.

Simon was elected President of WorldSkills International at the organisation’s General Assembly in October 2010 and begins his four-year term on 10th October 2011, the day after the Closing Ceremonies for WSI’s most celebrated biennial event – the WorldSkills Competition.

Leaders of the global skills movement have set out a vision for a new era of skills to drive global economic growth.

Speaking as WorldSkills London 2011 closed at a glittering Ceremony at The O2, organisers said the event had showed how skills can deliver innovation, economic growth and engage young people.

Chris Humphries, Chair of WorldSkills London 2011, said:

"The young people who have competed in WorldSkills are the very best in the world and we know these Competitors will go on to establish multi-national businesses, develop new products and services and continue to lead their industries – just as their predecessors have done.

Thursday 6 October - Department for Business Innovation & Skills

Business Secretary Vince Cable will today set out how new investment of more than £20 million will boost skills and drive growth in key industries including nuclear manufacturing, renewable energy and healthcare.

£11 million of Government matched funding, awarded following the first round of bids to the Growth and Innovation Fund (GIF), will enable employers to deliver more effective skills solutions through more apprenticeships, new professional standards and closer partnerships with education and training providers.

New analysis reveals fastest growing skills-based jobs of the last decade

Over 1,300 new Apprenticeships have been announced by some of the UK’s largest and most innovative companies to mark the start of WorldSkills London 2011, the world’s greatest international skills Competition, jobs and careers event.

Employers announcing the new Apprenticeships include technology companies 3M, Cisco and XMA, BMW’s UK dealers, Bentley Motors, precision measurement specialist Renishaw and hair and beauty supplier Ellisons.  

Starbucks has also announced that it will be using WorldSkills London 2011 as a platform to recruit 1,000 new permanent salaried trainees as it prepares for London 2012.

The company has been promoting youth and technology for 20 years

There is an air of excitement and suspense once again: from 5th to 8th October the WorldSkills competition will be staged at ExCeL London, and Festo will be participating with a team of its own and as a Global Sponsor Partner. The 41st instalment of this international vocational championship is expected to attract around 1,000 participants from over 50 countries, who are setting out to demonstrate their prowess in 46 vocational fields.

One of the largest disciplines in this competition is mechatronics. Two young mechatronics engineers from Festo, who qualified in early 2011 at the German Mechatronics Skills Competition at Stuttgart’s didacta trade fair, are currently undergoing intense preparation for their big moment as “Team Deutschland”: the Festo trainees Christian Schweizer and Tobias Dietrich will be lining up in the Mechatronics competition against 31 further teams from various countries.

Die Vorausscheidungen zur Teilnahme an der Berufsweltmeisterschaft von WorldSkills International sind abgeschlossen. Aus über 40 Berufen wird worldskills Liechtenstein sieben Berufe vertreten. Wir gratulieren den Kandidaten für die tollen Leistungen und bedanken uns bei den Unternehmen und Experten, welche mit grossem Aufwand eine professionelle nationale und internationale Ausscheidung ermöglicht haben.

• Nr. 1 Polymechaniker, Ilir Ajgeraj, OC Oerlikon, Balzers
• Nr. 7 CNC Fräser, Sandro Ospelt, Hilti Aktiengesellschaft, Schaan
• Nr. 19 Anlagenelektriker, Sebastian Kind, LKW, Schaan
• Nr. 20 Maurer, Martin Noser, Anton Ospelt AG, Vaduz
• Nr. 24 Schreiner, Benjamin Vetsch, Müller AG, Mauren
• Nr. 33 Automechaniker Raphael Hermann, Weilenmann AG, Schaan
• Nr. 39 IT PC und Netzwerk Support, Mathias Vetsch, Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Schaan

Sebastian Kind, Raphael Hermann, Martin Noser, Benjamin Vetsch, Sandro Ospelt, Ilir Ajgeraj, Mathias Vetsch

GERMANY (March 3rd, 2011) – The aim is to improve the quality of vocational education and training worldwide. Siemens has signed a partnership contract with the non-profit organisation WorldSkills International (WSI). As a Global Industry Partner, Siemens will support WSI in improving the quality of vocational education and training worldwide. Siemens is the 10th Global Industry Partner, swelling ranks that include companies like Wuerth, Festo and Samsung, and it will consolidate the topic area industrial automation at WSI. At the same time, Siemens will be a product sponsor of the 41st WorldSkills Competition to be held in London in October 2011. Siemens will provide equipment in the two competitions "Industrial Control" and "Polymechanics/Automation", and for this purpose it will equip the Competitors with automation and drive components.

Kandidaten, Experten und das Komitee von WorldSkills Liechtenstein trafen sich beim ersten Trainingslager im Valünatal.

„Spezialisten ausbilden und trainieren, damit sie in ihrem Bereich international top sind“, lautet die Mission der WorldSkills Liechtenstein. Acht Kandidaten und ihre Experten bereiten sich derzeit intensiv auf ihr grosses Ziel, die Berufsweltmeisterschaften vom 4. bis 9. Oktober in London vor. Das erste Trainingslager auf der Alpe Waldboden gemeinsam mit dem Komitee war das Kick off Event für das bevorstehende Grossereignis. „Es ging darum, das Team zu formen und den richtigen Spirit zu vermitteln. Neben dem fachlichen Niveau ist die soziale Kompetenz und die Fähigkeit ans Limit zu gehen von grosser Bedeutung“, erklärt der Offizielle Delegierte Stefan Sohler.