132 WorldSkills WHAT IS WORLDSKILLS INTERNATIONAL? WorldSkills International (WSI) is a not-for-profit international membership association open to agencies or bodies which have a responsibility for promoting vocational education and training in their respective countries/ regions. WSI operates worldwide and is politically and denominationally neutral. WSI provides a unique means of exchange and comparison of world-class competency standards in the industrial trades and service sectors of the global economy. Its aim is to raise the status and standards of vocational skills and training worldwide. Its principal activity is organizing the WorldSkills Competition in a different Member country/region every two years. WSI currently has members in 50 countries/regions and is committed to expanding and reaching more countries/ regions in the future. The continued growth of WSI attests to the fact that traditional trade and craft skills along with the newer technology multi-skilled vocations make an essential contribution to the economic and social well being of people everywhere. As a free standing, non-political organization, WSI provides a cost effective means for global government, education and industry cooperation in achieving higher standards and status for vocational education and training on a worldwide basis. HISTORY OF WORLDSKILLS INTERNATIONAL The first competition was held in 1950 in Madrid, Spain. SkillsUSA joined the international organization in 1973 and competed for the first time in 1975. The most recent WorldSkills Competition, hosted as many as 200,000 spectators, public policy makers, employers, teachers, trainers, technical experts, and government officials from around the world attend the biennial competitions. To view SkillsUSA’s team member selection procedures, and watch video of our WorldSkills competitors visit this page: skillsusa.org “As WorldSkills is now nearly 60 years old, it was an inspired idea which was strong enough to grow successfully into the future. Of course, behind every successful idea or venture there has to be someone who puts it into action. In the case of WorldSkills Competitions it was Spain, or more precisely, some inspired and passionate people, who organized the first international skill competitions, beginning with Portugal and then another five European countries, and hosted the Competitions in Madrid each year right through the 1950’s.” —Simon Bartley President, WorldSkills International with SkillsUSA Massachusetts Alumna, Carly Ward, Emmanuel College 2016 Carly Ward launched a research project on WorldSkills participation by the United States. The project was completed in December, 2016. In 1946 and there was a great need for skilled workers in Spain. Mr. José Antonio Elola Olaso, who was General Director of OJE (Spanish Youth Organization), had an insight: it was necessary to convince youth, as well as their parents, teachers and prospective employers, that their future depended on an effective vocational training system. Mr. Olaso chose Francisco Albert-Vidal to further develop this idea together with Antonio Almagro Diaz and Faustino Ramos Diaz, who were on different occasions, directors of the Work Centers. For this challenge, the most suitable solution was apparently to promote through a competition. This would enable youth spirit to be inspired, adults would discuss competition results and visitors would be able to see a great variety of trades being demonstrated. Thus the idea of the WorldSkills Competition was born and became a reality in 1950 with the first Iberian Competition and an organization called the International Vocational Training Organization (IVTO) was developed. In 1953, more European countries took part in the Competition. In 1954, the first organizing council— composed by official and technical representatives of the participating countries/regions—was established to set the rules for international competitions. Over 60 years later, this model is still in place with Official and Technical Delegates from all 56 countries/regions in WorldSkills International. HISTORY OF WORLDSKILLS COMPETITIONS WorldSkills International has come to symbolize the pinnacle of excellence in vocational education and training.