
WorldSkills is an event similar to the Olympics, where teams compete against each other in various skills. Over 60 countries are represented at the year’s event. Competitions included mechanical engineering, carpentry, electronics, design techmonolgy, floristry, beauty, and landscape gardening; just some of the skills essential to the global economy and to the future prosperity of every country. A major component of WorldSkills is the One School, One Country (OSOC) program that pairs schools and teams from visiting countries in the aim of inspiring our future leaders. This year, 15 Private Schools have been paired with national teams, who visited their school for 2 hours on Thursday, 12 October.
Reach British School successfully hosted the Swedish team, a pairing that was announced at the launch event we attended in March. Students introduced the Sweidsh team to the culture and hertiage of the UAE, as for most of the competitors it was their first visit to our country. The first half of the meeting was more formal, which included Secondary students performing traditional dances and both countries sharing their national anthems. Then all members sat together to eat traditional Emirati and Arabic foods and share their personal experiences; a fantastic opportunity for our students who are making their decision now about what subjects to follow, which will shape their careers and their futures.
WorldSkills, the world’s largest vocational skills competition took place this month at ADNEC under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. This was an important event for Abu Dhabi, as it brought together young people from 59 member countries and regions to compete in 51 skill competitions. 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.
We send our congratulations to Björn Landin who won a bronze medal for the Swedish team.