Applications have been pushed forward to the end of March! 

Applications close end March for the regional World Skills competition. Image credit: DHET

Applications close end March for the regional World Skills competition. Image credit: DHET

WordSkills SA is back for another round in search of skilled youth to represent South Africa in the 46th WorldSkills Competition which will be held in Shanghai, China in September 2021.

Applications are open for various skills such as:

  • Construction and Building Technology
  • Creative Arts and Fashion
  • Information and Communication Technology
  • Manufacturing and Engineering Technology
  • Social and Professional Services
  • Transportation and Logistics

Interested candidates can apply here, entries close 31 March. Entrants must be 21 years and older.

WorldSkills Competitions are the gold standard of skills excellence. They inspire young Competitors to reach new heights, helping them turn their passion into a profession.

Selected candidates will participate at national level, with the crowned winner going on to the national level. Winners in the national skills competition will move on to WorldSkills Africa, where they will compete to be in the international competition. South Africa is one of the eight African countries involved in the WorldSkills competition. Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Namibia, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia are the other countries participating in the event.

In South Africa, the WorldSkills South Africa (WSSA) initiative is championed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). Participation in the World Skills competition holds huge potential to influence the development and employability of the South African Youth. Additionally, it acts as an effective vehicle to increasing awareness of apprenticeships and artisanal skills, raising the standard of vocational education and training and artisanal skills.

It comes at a time where the issue of artisan development is of top priority for government as there is a shortage of skilled people in our country. Hence, the World Skills Competition aims to encourage more young people (high school learners, tertiary students and unemployed youth) to see artisanship as a career of choice to ease the skills shortage in South Africa.

This initiative also supports the DHET: ‘Decade of the Artisan’.