The WorldSkills Competition is the biggest international skills competition in the world. Around 50 member countries send highly trained young people to compete in around 40 different vocational skills, including Beauty Therapy, Web Design, Cabinet Making and CNC Milling.

The WorldSkills Competition happens every two years and the scale of the event is unrivalled, with over 800 competitors taking part. Young people are tested against tough international standards over the four day event, whilst their progress is watched by hundreds of thousands of visitors.

WorldSkills Calgary 2009

Quick facts:

• 6 days (including opening and closing ceremony)
• 40 skill categories
• 49 member countries
• 900 competitors
• 3,000 volunteers
• 5 ,000 international experts, delegates and judges
• 30,000 hotel room nights
• 150,000 student and public spectators
• 800,000 square feet of competition space

WorldSkills London 2011:

Quick facts:

• 25 0,000 visitors
• 1,200 competitors
• 60 countries
• 40 skills

For more information on WorldSkills London 2011, visit
www.worldskillslondon2011.com

WorldSkills London 2011 eligibility criteria:

The rule for the WorldSkills Competitions states that competitors are required to be under the age of 23 in the year of the competition, with the exception presently being for Mechatronics and the Engineering Challenge competitions, where competitors may be up to three years older.

This means that for WorldSkills London 2011, competitors must be born on or after 1 January 1989, and for Mechatronics and the Engineering Challenge competitors must be born on or after 1 January 1986.