Worldskills Kazan 2019 29 August - 3 September
HISTORY It was 1946 and there was a great need for skilled workers in Spain. Mr José Antonio Elola Olaso, who was General Director of OJE (Spanish Youth Organization), had an insight: it was necessary to convince youth, as well as their parents, teachers and prospective employers, that their future depended on an effective vocational training system. Right from the start, State agencies, enterprises and religious vocational training schools were interested in the idea. This simple yet brilliant idea of watching people from different trades at their workstations proved to be a great success. So, in 1947, with the participation of around 4,000 apprentices from a dozen mechanical trades, the first National Competition took place in Spain. EUROPE GETS IN A great number of observers from various countries were invited to the Iberian Competition and were completely seduced by the idea. As a result, in 1953, at Spain's invitation, youth from Germany, Great Britain, France, Morocco and Switzerland took part in it for the first time. In June 1954, the first Organising Council - composed by official and technical representatives of the participating countries - was established to set the rules for international competitions.