WorldSkills is the world’s largest vocational skills competition, bringing together young professionals from across the globe to compete in their respective trades.
Often described as the 'World Cup' of professions, the event saw around 1,400 participants from 65 countries taking part in 64 disciplines.
Over four intensive days, each contestant put their abilities to the test in a series of practical challenges.
The final day was filled with emotion as competitors finished their projects one after another. Among the first to complete his assignment for Luxembourg was Jannik Bares, who wrapped up his plumbing and heating project several hours before the official close of the competition.
Reflecting on the experience, Jannik shared that while the first day was very tough, the last two and a half days went really well. He kept to my schedule, and everything went as it should.
Before the results were announced, Jannik held out hope that his work would be enough for a Medal of Excellence, which is an accolade he had previously achieved at the 2025 EuroSkills in Denmark.
The award recognises outstanding achievement and a high score, even if a competitor does not place in the top three.
By his side throughout the journey was expert Loïc Perrin, who supported Jannik over the past two years. Perrin, fighting back tears as the competition ended, praised his protégé’s performance.
He recounted that Jannik did an amazing job at both EuroSkills and WorldSkills, and is "extremely proud of him".
Jannik will always be part of his life, and Perrin hopes to "bring him into my expert team for future competitions".
Elsewhere at the event, Bjarne Weber and Florian Theisen raced against the clock to put the finishing touches on a bridge in the Asian-themed garden they had constructed. With only five minutes left, every second counted as they watered the plants, arranged the grass, tidied the ground, and cleared away debris.
As the final countdown began, spectators cheered the Luxembourg team on. The duo completed the garden just in time, a relief after falling behind schedule on the second day.
Florian explained that they eventually prioritised the garden’s visual appeal over maximising points, and despite the exhausting last stretch and very tight timing, they managed to finish everything.
William Cao also completed his competition in Digital Construction, with consistent support from the Luxembourg delegation.
He described the four days as unforgettable and challenging, noting the high level of the test project. William said the atmosphere in the final minutes, with everyone cheering, was a unique and memorable experience.
The last of Luxembourg’s contestants to finish was 18-year-old Karim Speidel, whose final task for the Restaurant Service category involved serving a full course, from main dish to wine, dessert, and coffee.
He paid close attention to detail throughout the service, including serving the women at the table first, a small but significant point in a competition where every aspect counts.
Karim completed his tasks just minutes before time ran out and embraced his coach as the four-day challenge came to a close.
He reflected that he had come to do well and meet new people, and after the event, felt he had truly achieved both goals. Karim was pleased with the experience, having learned a great deal and made many new connections, and expressed his intention to maintain these relationships in the future.
Regardless of the outcome, he said he was happy with his achievement.
The closing ceremony took place in Shanghai on 27 September, where the winners were officially announced.
Jannik Bares, one of six competitors representing Luxembourg, received a Medal of Excellence for his outstanding performance in plumbing and heating.
For the 21-year-old, this recognition was a significant reward after months of preparation, and being ranked among the best in the nation was an added honour.
Host nation China dominated the gold medal tally, with over half its contestants being awarded one. Korea also performed strongly, followed by Taiwan, participating as Chinese Taipei, and Switzerland.
This year’s WorldSkills in Shanghai was one of the largest editions ever, attracting some 800,000 visitors and covering more than 400,000 square metres at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre, one of the world’s biggest exhibition halls.
For Claudine Thoma, technical delegate for WorldSkills Luxembourg, Jannik’s Medal of Excellence represents an important milestone for the country’s vocational training efforts.
She said the result is proof of the strength of Luxembourg’s training programmes and the growing impact of the hard work by experts, teams, and supporting companies.
Achievements like this, she noted, are the result of long-term commitment and offer hope and motivation to continue developing in this direction.
Thoma emphasised that the aim is not only to produce strong competitors, but to develop the best professionals for the future, as this is ultimately what matters most.
The Luxembourg delegation is already preparing for the next EuroSkills, which will be held next year in Düsseldorf. Luxembourg plans to compete in even more categories with an even larger team than ever before.
