Team UK to compete in two new skills
WorldSkills UK is excited to announce the continuation of its partnership with Pearson, the world’s lifelong learning company, as it officially confirms its entry into the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, China in September 2026.
Pearson will be the ‘Official Partner’ of Team UK once again, following a successful partnership at WorldSkills Lyon in 2024, where they secured a top ten place in the global rankings.
The new partnership will provide backing for the UK to enter the Logistics & Freight Forwarding and Software Testing categories for the first time. The UK will enter around 30 skills at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, and the partnership will allow the UK to compete once again in the Cloud Computing, Bricklaying and Graphic Design Technology competitions. These skills have been added in response to increasing employer demand in these sectors, highlighting the important role WorldSkills UK plays in promoting the emerging skills that are critical to investment and business growth.
Squad UK for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 is currently being selected. WorldSkills UK and Pearson will announce the members later this month. They will attend training and pressure tests in the UK and internationally, including participating in EuroSkills Herning 2025 before the team that will represent the UK at WorldSkills Shanghai is selected in May 2026.
Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said: “It is fantastic to be working with Pearson once again as we build up to the ‘skills Olympics’. We are proud to partner with an organisation that shares our commitment and passion for world class skills. Together we will showcase and celebrate the young people preparing to represent the UK at WorldSkills, demonstrating that technical education and apprenticeships can both change lives and drive economic growth.”
Freya Thomas Monk, Managing Director of Pearson Qualifications, said: “Pearson is proud to sponsor Team UK. Boosting the profile and prestige of technical and vocational education is incredibly important to us – it plays a crucial role in driving both personal success for learners as well as economic growth at a national level.”
WorldSkills, known as the ‘skills Olympics’, is the largest international skills competition held every two years in cities around the world. The event, which takes place from 22-27 September will see 1500 young people from over 65 counties compete in 60 different technical skill disciplines from engineering, manufacturing and technology through to creative, digital and hospitality in front of an audience of 250,000.
New Competition Descriptions:
Logistics and Freight Forwarding: Freight Forwarding is a specialist skill organising shipments of raw supplies or finished goods from the supplier or manufacturer to the point of distribution or final marketplace. Competitors could be assessed on different country’s export and import regulations as well as the details of waybills, licences, insurance, and other essential documents.
Software Testing: Software testing involves analysing software needs, design specifications, and coding to compare actual output with expected output before the software is released. Practitioners must have a good understanding of computers and software testing processes, identifying defects and ensuring product quality. Competitors need to understand business requirements, create test plans and cases, execute tests, analyse results, and write reports.
