WorldSkills Australia continues inspiring, developing and celebrating skills excellence.
Despite recent data from Jobs and Skills Australia showing a decrease in the number of occupations experiencing a skills shortage, efforts to ensure the next generation of workers are developing and being effectively trained are continuing.
WorldSkills Australia’s 2026 regional competitions will see thousands of apprentices, trainees and students from all corners of the country showcasing their abilities. Participants have the opportunity to progress to the National Championships and Skills Show, and the potential to be selected as a Skillaroo and represent Australia on the world stage in 2028 at the WorldSkills Competition in Aichi, Japan.
Benefits
Skills competitions provide an opportunity for young people to demonstrate their abilities, benchmark their progress and put the technical skills they have learnt to the test alongside other competitors in their field.
Ranging from skills valued by sectors such as bricklaying and automotive mechanics, to those coming to the fore in IT and robotics, the full breadth of Australian vocational education and training (VET) will be on display.
One of the features of these competitions is the opportunity they offer competitors to develop a broader, complementary set of skills beyond those being demonstrated and judged in events.
Perhaps harder to quantify, it’s so-called ‘soft skills’ – such as time management, networking, and creative thinking – that are critical abilities participants are developing as they compete and progress in skills competitions.
Positive impact
For those who progress beyond the regional competitions, the demands placed on competitors and the challenges they will need to overcome, will require an exceptional level of commitment, adaptability and resilience.
Even the process of travelling interstate or overseas for preparation and competitions provides opportunities and experiences that can be channelled into further personal and professional growth.
Competitors then bring these benefits back from events, integrating them with the technical skills they are already honing to accelerate their careers and make a stronger contribution in the workplace.
It’s these value-added skills that today’s apprentices can draw on to become tomorrow’s managers, or to begin the journey towards running their own business.
This is why WorldSkills is seeing growing support from industry partners, education providers and government at all levels in the mission to develop and celebrate skills excellence. The positive impact of skills competitions is being felt beyond individual participants, helping the next generation of skilled professionals make a greater contribution in workplaces across Australia.
To stay up-to-date with the competition schedule, and to learn more about WorldSkills Australia, visit worldskills.org.au.