Past-present & future
I entered WorldSkills, or the IVTO (International Vocational Training Organization) as it was known then, as Technical Delegate for Sweden at the General Assembly meeting in Portugal during the 50 year celebrations in 2000. I met a paper bound and well organized IVTO. As new Technical Delegate I tried get a picture of the upcoming Competition through the Technical Description. I found them organized in a disorganized way especially regarding important deadlines. The IVTO decided later to start a Secretariat to support the organization and its members instead of buying this service from a private company.
This decision started some turmoil before it settled into its present form. As a result of modernization a new name: WorldSkills International (WSI) was decided as well a new logo. The Competition in Helsinki called for Members to work in technical groups to make bridges due lack of a strong Secretariat. With Helsinki new people entered in and step by step a new world wide Secretariat got its present form and WSI became a digitized World Wide Web based organization.
The future holds many new challenges.
WSI needs to consider:
- the growing number of Members
- growing need of space and costs for the Competition
- the importance of strong sponsors/partners
- how to organize WSI’s frame & core activities
- number of skills and Competitors
- the need of future Regional pre-Competitions
- diversified age limits between skills
There are many more to issues to face in the future and I look forward to seeing WSI rise to the challenge.
We missed you at the 60th Anniversary General Assembly Meeting in Jamaica last week.
You’ll be pleased to know that most of your issues were addressed.
There was unanimous agreement to set up the WorldSkills Foundation which will enable WSI to keep its core focus on the Competition.
We also welcomed China as our 53rd Member, which has given us a huge boost on the road to becoming a truly global movement!