Teachers Introduced to WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017

19 May 2017

WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 invited schools from Abu Dhabi to present their plans when they host international teams for One School One Country.

Sixty four Abu Dhabi schools have each been paired with a country participating in the 44th WorldSkills Competition. This cultural exchange programme is an opportunity to learn about each other’s cultures, open the doors of global friendship, and raise awareness of the importance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). It will culminate when international delegations visit their partner schools on 12 October, just two days before the event’s Opening Ceremony.

To prepare for the visits later in the year, more than 150 teachers, school principals, students, and teaching assistants met at the WSAD2017 office to introduce their ideas and activities on how they will engage with their new friends.

The three-day gathering was held from 8-11 May at the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET), the host organization for the overall event. Promoting and encouraging TVET as an important means of economic development and growth is a driving motivation for ACTVET in hosting a WorldSkills Competition.

The session, developed by the WSAD2017 education team in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), was the first chance for schools to present their plans, hear ideas from other schools, and receive feedback from an ADEC committee.

In the coming months, students from the schools will learn more about their partner countries, including local customs, cuisine, and language. They will also continue to develop their plans for October.

One of the overall goals for One School One Country is to learn beyond the classroom and beyond borders and encourage students to become global citizens. This cultural programme has been a part of every WorldSkills Competition since 2007 in Shizuoka, Japan. Since its inaugural year, the programme has introduced thousands of students from different age groups to vocational skills.

Abu Dhabi will host the 6th edition of One School One Country, pairing 64 international teams with 64 Abu Dhabi schools.

One School One Country is part of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 which will see more than 1,300 youth from the 77 Member countries and regions of WorldSkills International compete in 51 skill competitions.