Fact sheet

WorldSkills

• 77 Member Countries and Regions
• WorldSkills describes is the global hub for skills excellence
• The WorldSkills Competition is the world championships of skills and the greatest international vocational skills competition
• Launched in 1950, the competition is held every two years around the world

WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017

• WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 is the 44th WorldSkills Competition
• The Competition will take place 15-18 October 2017 (four days of competition)
• The Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be held at the du Arena on 14 and 19 October
• Competitors from nearly 60 Member Countries and Regions will take part
• There will be 51 skill competitions from six skills sectors. 
• We are expecting close to 1,300 Competitors, 10,000 international visitors, and 100,000 visitors from the UAE
• Around 80,000 UAE students have registered to visit the event
• 1,000 volunteers to be recruited
• UAE team made up of 34 UAE nationals competing across 31 skills
• WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 is expected to be the largest WorldSkills Competition ever held
• WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 is the first Competition to take place in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region

Venue

The Competition venue is the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) and will utilize 105,000 square meters of space, including permanent and temporary structures

Patronage and titles

• WSAD2017 is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces
• The right to host WSAD2017 in Abu Dhabi was won by EmiratesSkills, as the WorldSkills Member organization for the UAE.
• Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Training and Education (ACTVET) is the parent organization of EmiratesSkills.