History

In 1964, Portugal had the honour of hosting the 13th International Skills Competition in Lisbon, at the Marquês de Pombal Industrial School. To celebrate 75 years of WorldSkills, this school will once again, under the auspices of WorldSkills International, host a special competition - the WorldSkills Commemorative Edition 1950-2025.

75 Years of Skills Shaping the Future

WorldSkills began after World War II, when Europe faced a severe skills shortage that threatened recovery. In 1950, Francisco Albert Vidal organized the first Vocational Skills Competition in Madrid for Spain and Portugal-the start of what would become a global movement.


By 1953, Competitors from Germany, Great Britain, France, and Switzerland had joined. In 1958, the event moved outside Spain for the first time, to Brussels, cementing its international status. Over the following decades, WorldSkills expanded across Europe and beyond, with Tokyo hosting the first Competition outside Europe in 1970.

In the 21st century, WorldSkills grew beyond the Competition. The One School One Country initiative (2007) linked teams with local schools, and Calgary 2009 became the largest event ever, with 850 Competitors from 47 countries.

For more than 75 years, WorldSkills has been shaping the future of work and inspiring generations to dream bigger. Its journey is a celebration of skills, innovation, and the power of young people to change the world-a story worth telling.

Today, WorldSkills is a global platform supporting young people through skills competitions, training, and capacity-building initiatives.