Shanghai 2026 WorldSkills Competition to break four records: 64 skills, 7 new trades, 1,400 competitors from 70 countries and regions
From September 22 to 27, the world's best young professionals will gather in Shanghai to compete for the title of champion in a record number of skills — from high‑speed rail maintenance to software testing and dental prosthetics.
As reported by CCTV+, the 48th WorldSkills Competition, to be held in Shanghai from September 22 to 27, will set four historic records: the largest number of skills (64, exceeding 60 for the first time), the highest number of new skills (7), the largest number of participating countries and regions (over 70), and the most competitors (more than 1,400), officials announced at a State Council Information Office press conference on Friday.
The seven new skills are: unmanned aerial systems, digital media interactive design, rail vehicle technology (including high‑speed rail and subway maintenance), intelligent security technology, software testing, dental prosthetics, and retail sales. "The addition of these skills directly follows the development of the digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, and urban public services," said Wu Liduo, Director of the Department of Occupational Capacity Building at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
Alongside the competitions, organizers unveiled the medal design (a hexagonal shape inspired by the traditional Chinese mortise‑and‑tenon joint) and the official mascots: "Nengneng" (symbolizing the future of skills) and "Qiaoqiao" (embodying vitality), whose names together mean "skilled craftsmen."
The event will also feature the WorldSkills Conference with over 2,000 education, policy and business leaders; the WorldSkills Expo; demonstration performances under the "One Province, One Skill" program; and the "WorldSkills in Schools, Enterprises and Communities" outreach initiative. Over 6,000 registered participants are expected to attend as competitors, conference delegates, and accredited professionals.
Since its inception in 1950, the biennial WorldSkills Competition has brought together young professionals under 22 from around the world. China is hosting the event for the first time in 2026, fielding 71 competitors across all 64 skills. "We want to use the competition as a platform to foster friendship through skills, allowing the culture of valuing skills to take root and flourish in China," said Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Yan Qinghui.
WorldSkills is often called the "Olympics of vocational skills." And the comparison fits: the same fierce rivalry, tears of victory and heartbreak of defeat. But the main difference lies in the outcome. An Olympic champion wins gold. A WorldSkills winner gets something more — better job prospects, respect from peers, and the knowledge that their hands can change the world for the better. 64 skills, 7 new trades, 1,400 competitors — these are not just numbers. They are an acknowledgement that the future of the economy rests not only on innovation, but on the people who can create, repair and bring those innovations to life. As the world's young professionals assemble parts, weld steel and pilot drones in Shanghai, they will prove that skilled work is not a fallback — it is a calling.
