The Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) will cooperate with WorldSkills International and WorldSkills Germany. The aim is to strengthen world-wide the awareness for the decisive contribution of vocational education to development and the achieving of economic and personal success.
The cooperation was agreed upon by the Director General of UNIDO, Kandeh K. Yumkella, WorldSkills International President Simon Bartley and WorldSkills Germany Managing Director Elfi Klumpp during a meeting on occasion of the UNIDO General Conference in Vienna.
"Traditional trade and craft skills along with the newer technology-oriented multi-skilled vocations make an essential contribution to the economic and social well-being of people around the world," said Yumkella. "Our cooperation with WorldSkills aims at fostering a symbiosis between industry and education and, by doing so, creating global awareness on various levels in the education and industry sector as well as in governmental institutions."
With its competitions in the field of vocational education and other skills activities, WorldSkills International sets global benchmarks for competence in industry, the crafts and the service provision sector. The achievement of higher standards world-wide contributes also to the general public attributing a higher degree of status to vocational and further education.