WorldSkills and Festo: Empowering young people in technical education

WorldSkills is an international movement that promotes vocational education and aims to get young professionals excited about technology by organizing competitions worldwide across a wide range of disciplines, including industrial and factory automation.

For more than 30 years, Festo has been a proud Global Industry Partner of WorldSkills. We cooperate closely with WorldSkills and support them with nurturing young talents and developing their competencies in areas such as mechatronics, Industry 4.0, water technology, renewable energy, industrial mechanics and control.

Our commitments

  • Inspiring young people to explore technology and technical professions
  • Developing and providing advanced automation systems for each competition according to technical education standards,
  • Helping students and teachers learn and practice by offering technical expertise and advice
  • Contributing to the preparations for the competition and helping to define the competition challenges based on industrial application scenarios.
Get ready for WorldSkills with us

The EuroSkills competitions

EuroSkills is aimed at similar occupations as WorldSkills but focuses on European member countries. Here too, Festo provides official competition equipment for skills such as Mechatronics and Industry 4.0, and supports the skill Industrial Control. We also offer technical advice to participating teams.

Thanks to our involvement in both global and European initiatives, Festo contributes to a consistent approach to vocational education across different regions.

Find out more about EuroSkills

WorldSkills and EuroSkills matter for technical education and industry

WorldSkills and EuroSkills competitions continuously integrate the latest technological trends while also reflecting the changing requirements of industry and modern job profiles. They create a structured environment where students can apply their knowledge in realistic, practical conditions.

For students: Skills development and self-confidence

WorldSkills is a unique experience that fosters:

  • Technical knowledge and practical skills in factory automation
  • Professional attitude and working methods
  • Teamwork and critical problem-solving skills
  • Goal-oriented thinking
  • Autonomy and attention to detail

Find out how WorldSkills develops technical skills

For teachers, schools and universities: Visibility and quality of the training programs

Having your students participate in WorldSkills or EuroSkills competitions validates your educational methods, standards of excellence, and drives continuous improvement in technical education.

It also boosts the image and attractiveness of schools and universities at regional, national and international levels, while building stronger connections with students and local industry.

Networking opportunities allow educators to join an international community of passionate teachers who welcome the exchange of ideas and experiences.

For industry: Developing experienced and committed professionals

By creating real-life industry application scenarios, WorldSkills helps develop highly skilled professionals in the field of factory automation.

Industrial companies benefit from recruiting capable, motivated, and independent young professionals who are ready to meet the technological challenges of modern production environments.

For ministries of education and industry: Creating and improving training programs for economic development

The international collaboration and knowledge exchange encouraged by WorldSkills allows public decision makers to set out a road map for skills training.

This helps identify areas for development and ensures that national industries benefit from qualified, motivated young professionals who contribute to long-term economic growth.

FIRST® LEGO® League: Inspiring young students to take up STEM topics

In addition to WorldSkills competitions, Festo supports early engagement initiatives such as the FIRST® LEGO® League. These programs introduce children to technology and engineering through practical challenges and creative activities using LEGO®.

During the competition, teams design and build robots together to solve tasks and then present their solutions.

By encouraging curiosity, teamwork and problem-solving from an early age, we are laying the foundation for a future interest in technical professions.

FAQs about the Festo global education partnerships

1. What is WorldSkills and how is Festo involved?

WorldSkills is an international organization that promotes vocational excellence through worldwide competitions. Festo is a Global Industry Partner and contributes equipment, technical expertise and advice to several industrial disciplines.

2. Which disciplines does Festo support in international skills competitions?

Festo backs topics such as mechatronics, Industry 4.0, water technology, renewable energy, industrial mechanics and industrial control. These areas represent current trends in automation and manufacturing technologies.

3. How does the Festo partnership differ from standard sponsorship?

The involvement of Festo goes beyond financial sponsorship. The company contributes technical systems, participates in defining competition challenges, helps verify that standards are met, and shares expertise to ensure competitions reflect real-life industrial practice.

4. How do technical skills competitions benefit students?

Competitions enhance technical competence, enhance professional attitude, and increase confidence. They also provide an international benchmark and improve the employability of the participants by demonstrating their practical competencies and their commitment.

5. How do these partnerships support schools and training institutions?

Institutions benefit because participation validates their educational credentials, it increases their visibility and forges stronger links with industry. Competitions also provide specific benchmarks that benefit curriculum development and continuous improvement.

6. How do WorldSkills and EuroSkills competitions contribute to local industries?

By developing highly skilled professionals who can meet the needs of industry, competitions help build a qualified workforce. This boosts innovation, productivity and sustainable economic growth at regional and national level.