Last night, WorldSkills 2015 hosted a spectacular Opening Ceremony, marking the first day of competition with a ribbon cutting from some of the event’s global partners. The WorldSkills Competition has partnered with well-established businesses around the world to showcase skilled labor and bring awareness to the opportunities presented by vocational education. The Opening Ceremony began with the Parade of Nations, which allowed each of the 59 different countries competing an opportunity to introduce itself and its WorldSkills team.

As expected, the ceremony also emphasized the incredible culture, diversity and distinction of the host country, Brazil. Yesterday, the Mobile Robotics experts spent a lot of time and energy setting up for the competition that began today. It was fitting that so many were honored with the Opening Ceremony after all their hard work and dedication. The results of the competition have yet to be completely scored and released, but many of the competitors were successful.

Mechatronics Makes Headlines

While the Mobile Robotics Competition took off, there was another WorldSkills event that got quite a bit of attention. The Mechatronics Competition involves automated systems for different industries, which are created by skilled technicians. This event encompasses computer technology, electronics, pneumatics and mechanics. In order to be a top contender, participants must be able to handle mechanical maintenance, build equipment, work with sensors and other informational gathering equipment and handle a variety of other tasks.

This year, all eyes are on an all-female team from the United Arab Emirates as they compete for the gold in the Mechatronics Competition. An area not typically dominated by women, this is an exciting moment for the team and their country. For those interested in learning more about mechatronics, or introducing it to your classroom, please look into mechatronics programs that are now available!

WorldSkills Digital Challenge: IT at its Finest

More than 200,000 visitors are expected to attend WorldSkills events taking place at Anhembi Park in São Paulo. One such event that will hopefully leave a lasting impact in Brazil is the WorldSkills Digital Challenge (WSDC). This groundbreaking event will showcase how Information Technology (IT) can be both an engaging and enjoyable pursuit. Talented competitors from around the world will be asked to actually assist Brazilian Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) with real social projects that are being addressed in Brazil. These problem solvers will have the opportunity to bring home a medal for their country and leave behind a sustainable legacy.

We’ll be keeping you posted as the WorldSkills events progress, so be sure to check back tomorrow for more news and updates. Good luck to all our WorldSkills competitors as WorldSkills 2015 continues over the next couple of days!