With registration rates doubling since last year, Worldskills Ireland expects to welcome over 28,000 students from schools across the country this week. Worldskills Ireland 2023 is designed to showcase the wealth of apprenticeships and career opportunities for young people, during a time when a number of sectors are reporting significant skills shortages.

Speaking ahead of the event this week, Ray English, Chairman of Worldskills Ireland said, “Skills and apprenticeship programmes are the life blood of many Irish businesses. To secure the evolution of Ireland’s economy and its place as a global leader, nurturing talent and encouraging the next generation to consider a skills-based career, is vitally important – which is what we’re hoping to achieve through Worldskills Ireland 2023.”

A unique partnership between Government, Education and Industry, Worldskills Ireland 2023 is set to highlight opportunities in six main sectors including Hospitality and Tourism, Construction, Creative Arts, ICT, Automobile and Manufacturing and Engineering, alongside the National Skills Competition Finals, which are also taking place at the event.

Denyse Campbell, President of the Irish Hotels Federation comments: “Worldskills Ireland 2023 promises to provide an engaging opportunity for students to explore how they can develop their skills into a rewarding career in hospitality. Irish Hotels and guesthouses provide an excellent environment to learn highly sought-after skills, especially when coupled with the vast opportunities available for continuous learning through on and off-the-job training, apprenticeships and further education.

“Experience in hospitality opens up an abundance of career paths with plenty of opportunities to chart your own course while building your skillset and working with great people. There is no better time to explore the options available and we look forward to providing information and resources at the ‘Fáilte Ireland Tourism and Careers’ stand and sharing our passion for #ShapingBrighterFutures in the hospitality industry with attendees at Worldskills.”

Returning to Worldskills Ireland 2023, Fáilte Ireland will be promoting their many tourism careers initiatives within the Careers Pavilion at the show. Sharon Balmaine, Head of Tourism Careers at Fáilte Ireland comments: "Tourism is a dynamic and exciting industry offering endless opportunities for young people to build a successful and rewarding career. From front-line roles to behind-the-scenes operations, the breadth and diversity of roles within the sector are vast, and the skills gained are transferable across many industries. With an ever-growing demand for tourism experiences, there has never been a better time for young people to consider a career in this vibrant industry.

“That’s why an event like Worldskills Ireland 2023 is so important. It provides a huge opportunity for students to interact and meet with those working within the tourism sector, and learn about the many great career paths within this exciting industry. We look forward to welcoming students, teachers and parents to our stand across the three-days.”

Across three action-packed days, Worldskills Ireland 2023 will bring young people together through interactive events and demonstrations and will give them the opportunity to meet face-to-face with employers who are ready to recruit. Committed to promoting excellence in skills, this year’s event is supported by industry leaders across the hospitality and tourism sector, including competition sponsors BWG, Corcoran Food Machinery, Bunzl and Ashford Castle, to name but a few.

Running concurrently with Irish Times Higher Options, Worldskills Ireland 2023 takes place 20th – 22nd September at the RDS, Simmonscourt, Dublin.

Visit Worldskills Ireland ’s website