Two graduates from Scotland are set to participate at the WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai.

Taking place this week from 22 to 27 September, this is the 48th edition of the ‘skills olympics’ and the first time the competition is being hosted in China.

Stuart Lyons, who studied at New College Lanarkshire, will compete in Mechanical Engineering: CAD. Charlie Priestley, who studied at North East Scotland College and Robert Gordon University, will compete in IT Network Systems Administration. They join a wider group representing the UK.

WorldSkills UK training manager, Mike Swan, who is also curriculum leader at Dundee & Angus College, will be in Shanghai supporting competitors in the Panting and Decorating competition.

Gavin Donoghue, CEO of Colleges Scotland, said: “I want to wish Team UK the best of luck as they prepare to compete on the world stage.

“Selection alone is a fantastic achievement and reflects the determination, skill and hard work that have brought them this far.

“A special good luck to our two Scottish students in Shanghai representing Scotland and the UK. We are all cheering you all on and wishing you every success.”

The WorldSkills competition is considered by global experts as the ultimate test of a nation’s ability to meet future skills needs. It is attended by government representatives, educationalists and employers from across the globe.

It is the first time China has hosted the prestigious WorldSkills competition. The event will see around 1,500 young people travel to Shanghai from over 80 counties to compete in technical skill disciplines from engineering, manufacturing and technology through to creative, digital and hospitality. The

The UK will be represented with 28 competitors from Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland competing in 25 skills competitions.

This year’s competition will feature seven new skill areas that reflect shifting demands for skills within the labour market and how the WorldSkills movement continues to adapt to the rapidly evolving world around us. These new skills are Dental Prosthetics, Digital Media Interactive Design, Intelligent Security Technology, Rail Vehicle Technology, Retail Sales, Software Testing, and Unmanned Aerial Systems.

For these seven skills, this is the first time their workshops have been designed and built, and this can present its own challenges. The skill competition managers are working closely with WorldSkills global partners to ensure they have the right equipment and infrastructure in place. Global Partners are also offering specialist technical support teams to assist with the set up.

Alongside the skill competition halls, WorldSkills Conference 2026 is set to welcome over 2,000 delegates, including 50 Ministers from around the world. The space has been designed carefully to support panels and plenary sessions, as much as small group discussion and networking. An example of this is the Skills CoLab marketplace where members and partners can showcase best practice and forge new partnerships.

The WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 Expo build has been an immense collaborative effort. There are contributions from member countries and regions, global partners, sponsors, and industry associations. This “skills carnival for everyone” will provide interactive experiences including Try-a-Skill stands where visitors can try out trades for themselves.

Jane Stokie, director of Skills Competitions for WorldSkills International, said: “Turning the world’s largest conference exhibition centre into 64 state-of-the-art workshops takes years of planning and thousands of hours from hundreds of people. Watching it all come together in these final days makes every hour of preparation worth it.

She continued: “As well as creating the optimum space for our skill competitions, we want the halls to be places of inspiration where hundreds of thousands of visitors can marvel at the mastery of our young skilled competitors and learn how skills are the building blocks of a more secure and sustainable future.”

A livestream of the opening ceremony of the 2026 WorldSkills Competition will be available here, starting at 12:00 GMT on Tuesday 22 September.