From 10-15 September 2024, around 1500 young professionals from more than 65 countries will gather in Lyon, France, to showcase their talents in 59 skilled trade competitions. An estimated 250,000 visitors are expected to attend the biennial event, which is organised by the educational body WorldSkills, a lighthouse of global efforts to promote skills among young people.
One of the most interesting events for the manufacturing and engineering community at the vocational world championships will be the hotly contested Robot Systems Integration competition. Taking place across four days (11-14 September) in Hall 4 at Eurexpo Lyon, 18 teams from around the world (including 10 from Europe) will undertake a real industry robot integration task devised by factory automation specialist FANUC, a global partner of WorldSkills since 2018.
Developing skills such as these are vital as estimates suggest that industry sees more than 500,000 robots installed every year. While large sectors like automotive were early adopters, a growing number of cross-segment small and medium sized manufacturers are also investing in this technology, creating new occupational fields for young people. The increasing shortage of skilled workers in many countries is a further driver, which means that the continuous training of new experts who can skilfully implement robotic solutions is paramount.
By organising competitions and co-operating with universities and schools, WorldSkills Gold Sponsor FANUC is working hard to interest more young people in robotic-based careers. Indeed, FANUC actually trains WorldSkills participants in their respective countries. The company also holds local and regional qualifying competitions together with the WorldSkills organisation. In a further educational initiative, the established and successful FANUC Academies help existing robot and machine operators to hone their programming skills with the aim of increasing production efficiency.
FANUC is a global automation company with credentials that include 50 years of experience in the development of industrial robots, more than 1 million of which have been delivered to factories worldwide.
