Kazan to host WorldSkills international competition in 2019

The world’s largest professional skills competition, WorldSkills, will be held in Russia for the first time in 2019. The competition will take place in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan.

It was announced on Monday that Kazan had been chosen over Paris and Charleroi in Belgium by an international jury of 57 countries in São Paulo.

The competition takes place every two years and is open to young people aged between 18 and 23. Competitors demonstrate their abilities in a range of practical skills including hairdressing, painting, carpentry, cooking and information technology. The competition is arranged by WorldSkills International, a non-profit organisation that seeks to improve standards of professional and skills training worldwide.

The association is currently made up of 72 member countries. Russia became a member in 2012.

Tatarstan’s First Deputy Education and Science Minister Andrey Pominov is hoping that Russia will fare better this year than in its competition debut in 2013, when the team came in joint last.

“Our level in 2013 cannot be compared to today’s level,” Mr Pominov said, adding that specialised training has increased and that equipment is undergoing modernisation.

WorldSkills 2015 is currently taking place in São Paulo and will run until 16 August.