The concept of EuroSkills competition was launched by Skills Netherlands during the WorldSkills 2005 in Helsinki. The European Skills Promotion Organization (ESPO) was registered and the first Board of Directors was nominated on the 2nd of January in 2007. The first meeting of the General Assembly of ESPO was held on the 18th of September 2007 in Budapest. The first EuroSkills Competition was held 18.-20.9.2008 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

In May 2010 the ESPO General Assembly agreed to a brand alignment with WorldSkills International, to promote skills globally in the same way by using the WSI-logo starting from 2011. They also decided to use name WorldSkills Europe in public context.

Objectives

The association promotes excellence in skills, raises awareness of the importance of professional excellence and of high quality vocational education and training (VET). WorldSkills Europe focuses organizing and developing skills competitions. WorldSkills Europe increases the cooperation between organizations in the field. It supports European lifelong learning policy, to encourage world class standards of skills and competence in Europe and to enhance the status and attractiveness of VET.

More information about goals and objectives

EuroSkills Competition

The main task of WorldSkills Europe is to organize a biennial EuroSkills Competition. In addition to this WorldSkills Europe develops services and products to establish or further develop national skills competition culture and/or structure, creates platforms for the collaboration of working life and VET, promotes European skills on global level and supports EU policy and programs. Exchange of information, knowledge and expertise will take place to further develop the global awareness of skills as an important tool to society.

Both WorldSkills Europe and WorldSkills International share the same vision: “A world where people can achieve the workplace skills they need to prosper and find fulfillment.”