20 September 2021
What to expect from the WorldSkills Conference 2021
The Conference, taking place 25-29 October as a hybrid event both online and live from Shanghai, will review the impact of the pandemic on green skills development, on jobs and poverty, and on apprenticeships.
Registration is now open for The Road Ahead: Skills for a Resilient Future taking place 25–29 October.
Lockdowns and restrictions over the past year have caused unparalleled disruptions to education, threatening to affect an entire generation of future workers.
With practical skills being an important component of technical and vocational education and training processes, VET systems and institutions are confronted by considerable challenges to effectively deliver training. If not addressed, such challenges could exacerbate inequalities, and hinder important progress towards poverty reduction or the green transition.
How can we develop skill development strategies that contribute to a better and more inclusive future of work? The WorldSkills Conference 2021 - The Road Ahead: Skills for a Resilient Future will review the impact of the pandemic on green skills development, on jobs and poverty, and on apprenticeships. The Conference will analyse available data and trends at the global and regional level, bringing participants up to date with the learning and solutions that have emerged from this crisis.
Taking place 25–29 October as a hybrid event both online and live from Shanghai, here's what to expect from this year’s WorldSkills Conference.
Skills for green jobs
Inclusive development is dependent on a sustainable environment, making it imperative for post-pandemic recovery strategies to help accelerate the transition towards low-carbon economies. The ‘Skills for green jobs’ track will evaluate the progress achieved so far in the greening of VET systems and institutions, as well as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that have impacted this shift.
With the insight of speakers from UNESCO-UNEVOC, the ILO, UNIDO, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development or the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China, the sessions in this track will help TVET systems and providers incorporate green skills that are relevant in a fast-changing environment and that respond to market demands.
Trends in ASEAN+3 countries will be the basis for much of the talks, providing knowledge that can be useful for other regions.
Poverty reduction through skills
Current World Bank projections suggest that up to 150 million people will be pushed back into extreme poverty by the end of 2021 as a result of the pandemic. Negative impacts have been particularly devastating for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and for vulnerable and marginalized populations such as unskilled workers, migrants, persons with disabilities, and women.
Designed by experts from the ILO, the World Bank, UNESCO, and the British Council, the sessions in this track will explore how governments can promote broad‐based economic growth and initiatives that lead to the creation of productive employment, which can offer a pathway out of poverty.
Participants will gain insight on positive examples from across the world on how to address poverty through skills development through international cooperation, regionalism, or new learning models.
The future of apprenticeship systems
Despite the proven benefits of apprenticeships on youth employment and skill relevance, their availability and enrollment rates have regressed almost everywhere. On-the-job learning and training could in fact address some of the disruptions caused by the pandemic and lay the foundation for more resilient societies and economies.
This track will look back at the past 18 months to evaluate the responses of apprenticeship systems to the pandemic and identify successful models. With the participation of the European Commission, GAN, the British Council, the ILO and UNESCO, ‘The future of apprenticeship systems’ will review the resources available for policymakers as well as providers to improve apprenticeship systems and make them relevant in the post-pandemic era.
Register now
Don’t forget to book your spot and mark the session you would like to attend on your calendars.