Policymakers, practitioners and young professionals shared a stage on which they hoped to lay the foundation for the future of vocational skills on the closing day of the WorldSkills Conference 2017.
Held as part of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 – the 44th edition of the world’s largest and most prestigious skills competition, hosted by the Middle East and North Africa region for the first time – the high-level conference has brought together government representatives, thought leaders, and young people from around the world to tackle the biggest issues surrounding technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in a rapidly-changing world.
Over two days of discussion, debate, insight, and exploration at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the Conference sought to address how vocational skills adapt to the dramatic impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the way people live, learn, and work, and how the global skills landscape can cultivate the competencies that employers will need into the future.
Catch up on the highlights of the Conference, view the photos, and watch the summary video.
Skills strategies for a globalized world
The advent of the fourth industrial revolution means that we must prepare urgently for dramatic changes to the way that we learn, live, and work.
The connectivity of cyber-physical systems is transforming the needs of society and employers — and breaking down the limits of national borders. There is a danger that the demand for new skills, to match future industries, may outpace the provision of appropriate training and education. So how should the VET sector respond to the continuous developments of emerging technologies? How should we promote international cooperation? And, what will be the future of skills in an era when borders have become less of an obstacle to movement?
Conference Programme
16 October 2017
| Time | Conference Room A | Conference Room B |
|---|---|---|
|
8:30 |
Welcome |
|
|
9:00 |
Opening plenary: Shaping skills strategy in a globalized world Panel |
|
|
10:00 |
Coffee Break | |
|
10:30 |
What skills do employers really need? In partnership with British Council and City & Guilds Panel |
Skills for a new and transforming economy: Demand In partnership with WorldSkills Kazan 2019 Keynote, Panel and workshop |
|
11:30 |
Skills Development in Cities: Powering the engines of economic growth In partnership with British Council Panel Debate |
|
|
12:30 |
Lunch | |
|
13:30 |
In partnership with ILO Keynote followed by Panel |
Enabling a generation to work: innovative approaches to tackle youth unemployment In partnership with Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN) Panel |
|
15:00 |
Coffee Break | |
|
15:30 |
Skills and Careers without Borders – First session: Identification of changing skills demands In partnership with the European Commission, Cedefop,and the European Training Foundation (ETF) Panel |
|
|
17:30 |
Session end | |
|
18:00 |
Networking Reception, ADNEC | |
17 October 2017
| Time | Conference Room A | Conference Room B |
|---|---|---|
|
8:30 |
Connecting creativity and technology. How do they collaborate and coexist? In partnership with WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 Debate |
Implications of global economic trends and market forces for anticipated skill needs In partnership with UNESCO Panel |
|
9:15 |
In partnership with the European Commission, Cedefop,and the European Training Foundation (ETF) Panel |
Global Skills Snapshot: a look at three systems (starts at 9:30) In partnership with British Council Workshop |
|
10:30 |
Coffee Break | |
|
11:00 |
How do we shape the education system today to be adaptive for future change? In partnership with WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 Panel |
Skills for a new and transforming economy: response In partnership with WorldSkills Kazan 2019
|
|
11:45 |
Skills and Careers without Borders – Third Session: How to promote skills without borders? In partnership with the European Commission, Cedefop, and the European Training Foundation (ETF) Panel |
|
|
12:45 |
Lunch | |
|
13:45 |
VIP tour of the WorldSkills Competition with WorldSkills Honorary Members and WorldSkills Champions Trust |
|
|
15:00 |
Coffee Break | |
|
15:30 |
International Ministers and Youth |
|
|
16:45 |
Closing Summary |
|
|
17:00 |
Conference end | |
|
19:00 |
Conference Dinner, location TBD | |
Venue
ADNEC is one of the largest exhibition centres in the Middle East, with an indoor and outdoor capacity of nearly 130,000 square meters and a deep water mooring facility. WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 will be the largest and most complex event ever staged at ADNEC.
Officially opened in 2007 by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates, ADNEC is distinguished by Capital Gate, a notable addition to the city’s skyline with the world’s furthest leaning tower, more than four times that of the leaning tower of Pisa.
WorldSkills Competition
The Conference was held against the backdrop of the WorldSkills Competition, where more than 1,250 competitors from 60 countries and regions will gather together for the chance to win a prestigious medal in their chosen skill. As well as being the greatest skills competition, WorldSkills is a unique opportunity for all the countries and regions that participate to benchmark their vocational education and training systems.
17 October (Day 2) Conference Programme includes a VIP tour of the WorldSkills Competition for all delegates.
Contact us
For more information, or to explore how we can tailor your experience, contact conference@worldskills.org.
The WorldSkills Conference 2017 was guided by the strategic vision of:
About the WorldSkills Conference
The WorldSkills Conference is a conference and events programme that brings leaders in education, government, business, and industry from around the globe together to share best practice and learn about global trends and issues found in Vocational Education and Training (VET), skills demand, skills of the future as well as skills excellence and development.
Past Conference Programmes