London named as 2011 Worldskills host

Voting took place in Melbourne at the WorldSkills Annual General Meeting with delegates from the 38 different member nations of the WorldSkills organisation.

WorldSkills, held every two years, will take place in London from the 6th to the 9th October 2011.

The competition will be in ExCeL London, one of the main venues for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The UK bid faced strong competition from Australia and Sweden.

Chris Humphries, Chairman of UK Skills, the organisation which spearheaded the UK bid, said: "This is such an achievement for the UK. We now have the foundations to raise the profile of WorldSkills in the UK and at a global level.

"We also now have the chance to raise the profile of the skills that will make the London Olympic and Paralympic Games possible.

"For too long the vocational route has been seen as inferior to academic studies but succeeding in the skills sector takes just as much dedication, determination and hard work.

"Participating in Skills Competitions drives forward individuals' aspirations, provides them with a way to benchmark their skills and to recognise their achievements."

WorldSkills events will be staged only 20 minutes from central London, welcoming young people from around the world to compete in over 40 skills areas in a richly diverse city of 300 communities.

10 May 2006