Exactly one year from now, it’ll be curtain up as EuroSkills 2020 opens its doors at the Messe Congress Graz exhibition centre and transforms the city of Graz into a hotspot for skilled workers, students, interested individuals, international media and visitors from many different European countries. To set the scene for the final year of preparations, the kick-off for the one-year countdown was celebrated as part of the Aufsteirern Folk Festival. WorldSkills Europe president Dita Traidas (wearing a traditional Latvian costume), our “boss” Josef Herk and our two heroes Birgit Haberschrick (European Floristry Champion 2014) and Fabian Gwiggner (European Graphic Design Champion 2016) appeared right there on the main stage of the folk festival to drum up further support for the European vocational skills championships that will take place next September. They were assisted by a dynamic performance on the theme of crafts and trades from the band Alpin Drums.

“I never cease to be amazed by the hospitality, which is a very important aspect for every country hosting a EuroSkills event – and Austrian hospitality really is unique,” said Dita Traidas at the Aufsteirern Folk Festival. “The more I get to know the Austrians, the more I like them – and especially because of their obvious passion for EuroSkills and WorldSkills events.”

For our Supervisory Board Chairman Josef Herk, the vocational skills championships is a project close to his heart and, above all, it acknowledges Styria’s status as a business location: “It is a great honour to host this competition next year in Graz – for Austria and for our dual education system. This event’s unique message is as important as ever: that anyone who pursues their career with passion and commitment can become a true hero. It is these young, skilled workers, with their dedication and commitment, who will become more and more significant for our economy in the future,” said Herk.

Our own two heroes, Fabian and Birgit, once again expressed their wholehearted support for the European vocational championships: “Taking part in the EuroSkills competition helped us find out what we’re made of and what we’re all capable of accomplishing under really exceptional circumstances. What’s more, there’s nothing quite like the atmosphere at the event. You just need to experience EuroSkills for yourself once in your life to understand how much emotion, excitement and talent goes into it. Come to Graz next year and see for yourselves!”
We look forward to welcoming many old friends as well as new faces here in Graz exactly one year from now, as we eagerly launch the one-year countdown to EuroSkills 2020.