Greetings from Dr. Theodor Niehaus -
Chairman of the Board, SkillsGermany

Ladies and Gentlemen,

True to its 2006 World Cup slogan “A time to make friends”, Germany as host country of the WorldSkills Competition 2013 invites competitors and guests to Leipzig.

Products and services from Germany enjoy an excellent reputation the world over, and so does the German vocational education system: Germany is in high demand as an education partner worldwide.
All of this fits in perfectly with the ideals of WorldSkills, the world association of vocational education agencies and bodies, and organizer of the world’s biggest education event. The WorldSkills Competition is an excellent platform to present modern occupational profiles to the public and to compare education standards in industry, crafts and service industries. It is a showcase for the latest technologies and products but at the same time, the WorldSkills Competition is a unique communication platform for cutting-edge educational approaches, for the development of expert networks, and for making friends.

The last time Germany hosted the WorldSkills Competition was in 1973. So, after 40 years, we are delighted to finally be hosting it again in 2013. Because of their geographic location, Saxony and its international trade fair centre Leipzig are an excellent choice as hosts of the WorldSkills Competition, and both meet the requirements of such a key event in all areas.
Together with our partners, we at SkillsGermany are looking forward to an attractive WorldSkills Competition 2013 in Leipzig.

Dr. Theodor Niehaus
Chairman of the Board, SkillsGermany