Vocational competitions EuroSkills and WorldSkills

Policy development
Practical measure/Initiative
Germany
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Timeline
  • 2022Implementation
  • 2023Implementation
  • 2024Implementation
ID number
43947

Background

A brief overview of the context and rationale of the policy development, explaining why it is implemented or why it is important.

In the context of an interconnected globalised world, strengthening the European vocational training area is a declared goal of the EU. Promoting participation in the EuroSkills and WorldSkills vocational competitions is one of the Federal Government's instruments for implementing this goal. Participation in the competitions serves several purposes: these competitions are an important marketing tool both for Central Europe as an educational and business location and for the individual countries. At the same time, they help the participating nations to compare their own education systems with each other (benchmarking) and to learn about best practices (stimulus). The competitions are a national instrument for promoting talent (excellence in VET), as well as for recruiting new apprentices (shortage of skilled workers and apprentices). The companies that support the individual disciplines are offered a platform for exchange (networking); they learn so much about how training is done in other nations. Cross-border exchange is promoted within the framework of championships of the professions at European and international level.

Objectives

Goals and objectives of the policy development.

At EuroSkills, Europe's best skilled workers compete in their disciplines in the fields of crafts, industry, services and future skills for the title of European champions. In order to internationalise further the German system of initial and continuing vocational education and training (VET), the participation and organisation of the German national vocational team is supported by the Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWK).

Vocational competitions as a whole and the EuroSkills competitions in particular have become flagship events for VET and excellence in Europe. At the same time, they serve as a seismograph of education and training in the member nations. The participants are ambassadors of VET with a very high public impact, which can be used to address existing prejudices and improve the image of VET. This is seen as an important measure to address the shortage of skilled workers and apprentices.

Description

What/How/Who/For whom/When of the policy development in detail, explaining its activities and annual progress, main actors and target groups.

WorldSkills - the World Skills Championships - and EuroSkills - the European Skills Championships - take place alternately every two years. The WorldSkills Germany network promotes and supports national and international competitions of non-academic professions. Founded in 2006, the WorldSkills Germany association currently unites over 80 members. In addition to companies and associations, these include Chambers of Skilled Crafts and guilds or industry associations, as well as the BMBF and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB). The registration of the German national vocational team for a European and international competition takes place via WorldSkills Germany. These are determined in advance at national selection competitions and training sessions and registered by the respective associations and partners.

Funding opportunities are provided by the BMBF, BIBB and the BMWK, with a 80% of the costs for international participation usually covered by funding measures. Companies can assume costs for the participation of their apprentices as so-called skills sponsors, i.e. industry associations or sponsors. Through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, WorldSkills Germany and its partners can also receive funding for training (e.g. travel and accommodation costs).

The trade magazine for talent management, vocational competitions and extracurricular learning is published by WorldSkills...

WorldSkills - the World Skills Championships - and EuroSkills - the European Skills Championships - take place alternately every two years. The WorldSkills Germany network promotes and supports national and international competitions of non-academic professions. Founded in 2006, the WorldSkills Germany association currently unites over 80 members. In addition to companies and associations, these include Chambers of Skilled Crafts and guilds or industry associations, as well as the BMBF and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB). The registration of the German national vocational team for a European and international competition takes place via WorldSkills Germany. These are determined in advance at national selection competitions and training sessions and registered by the respective associations and partners.

Funding opportunities are provided by the BMBF, BIBB and the BMWK, with a 80% of the costs for international participation usually covered by funding measures. Companies can assume costs for the participation of their apprentices as so-called skills sponsors, i.e. industry associations or sponsors. Through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, WorldSkills Germany and its partners can also receive funding for training (e.g. travel and accommodation costs).

The trade magazine for talent management, vocational competitions and extracurricular learning is published by WorldSkills Germany.

WorldSkills Germany recognised national performance centres offer training and courses according to the concepts of the vocational competitions. Across Germany, 28 training and further education institutions already bear the title of performance or federal performance centre, and others are in the examination or certification phase.

2022
Implementation

In 2022, Germany was the venue for nine world championships for the professions: Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz assumed patronage for the German national vocational team. Team Germany, the German national team for the professions, took part in competitions in 31 disciplines in 10 countries with 36 professionals. In total, Team Germany won three gold medals, five silver medals, two bronze medals and nine medals of excellence.

2023
Implementation

In September 2023, Germany's top skilled workers competed in 27 disciplines at EuroSkills Gdansk 2023 in Poland. Two further competitions followed in October and November 2023 with the European Vocational Championships in Wels and Salzburg.
The national team of 33 young talented skilled workers had a successful year 2023 in the skills competitions EuroSkills, European Vocational Championships and WorldSkills: Team Germany won a total of 24 medals at European vocational competitions, making them European vice-champion overall in 2023.

2024
Implementation

Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger welcomed and congratulated the German national team for the 2023 European Skills Championships at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in Berlin on 13 February 2024.
The German national vocational team took part in the WorldSkills 2024 in Lyon, France, from 10 to 15 September 2024, with 44 top professionals from industry, skilled trades and the service sector in 39 vocational disciplines. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz takes over the patronage of Team Germany. The team achieved: 1 x gold, 5 x silver, 3 x bronze and 22 medals of excellence for outstanding performance.

Bodies responsible

This section lists main bodies that are responsible for the implementation of the policy development or for its specific parts or activities, as indicated in the regulatory acts. The responsibilities are usually explained in its description.
  • Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
  • Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)
  • Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
  • German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH)
  • Federal States (Länder)

Target groups

Those who are positively and directly affected by the measures of the policy development; those on the list are specifically defined in the EU VET policy documents. A policy development can be addressed to one or several target groups.

Learners

  • Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
  • Young people (15-29 years old)

Entities providing VET

  • Companies
  • Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
  • VET providers (all kinds)

Other stakeholders

  • Social partners (employer organisations and trade unions)

Oħrajn

talent programme

Thematic categories

Thematic categories capture main aspects of the decision-making and operation of national VET and LLL systems. These broad areas represent key elements that all VET and LLL systems have to different extents and in different combinations, and which come into focus depending on the EU and national priorities. Thematic categories are further divided into thematic sub-categories. Based on their description, policy developments can be assigned to one or several thematic categories.

European and international dimensions of VET

This thematic category covers both European and international cooperation in initial and continuing VET, aimed at promoting EU VET systems as a European education and training area and making it a reference for learners in neighbouring countries and across the globe.

Expanding opportunities and increasing participation of VET learners, young and adult, and staff in international mobility for learning and work, including apprenticeship and virtual and blended mobility, account for most initiatives in this thematic category.

Apart from established and financially supported EU cooperation, VET opens up to cooperation and promotion of European values and national practices beyond the EU, which is becoming a trend. This thematic category also encompasses internationalisation strategies, transnational cooperation projects and initiatives – including those where joint VET programmes, examinations and qualifications are developed – and  participation in international skills competitions that promote the image of VET. Using international qualifications – awarded by legally established international bodies or by a national body acting on behalf of an international body – in the national VET systems and recognising them towards national qualifications is also in focus.

EU and international skills competitions

This thematic sub-category refers to cooperation with other EU countries and beyond in preparing national teams for international competitions such as WorldSkills and EuroSkills and participation in those.

European priorities in VET

EU priorities in VET and LLL are set in the Council Recommendation for VET for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience, adopted on 24 November 2020 and in the Osnabrück Declaration on VET endorsed on 30 November 2020.

VET Recommendation

  • VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills

Osnabrück Declaration

  • European Education and Training Area and international VET

Subsystem

Part of the vocational education and training and lifelong learning systems the policy development applies to.
IVET
CVET

Further reading

Sources for further reading where readers can find more information on policy developments: links to official documents, dedicated websites, project pages. Some sources may only be available in national languages.
WorldSkills Germany 2024
WorldSkills Germany 2023
WorldSkills Germany - Annual report 2023
National performance centres

Country

Germany

Type of development

Policy developments are divided into three types: strategy/action plan; regulation/legislation; and practical measure/initiative.
Practical measure/Initiative
Cite as

Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Vocational competitions EuroSkills and WorldSkills: Germany. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/mt/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/43947