40,000 Students Gather at WorldSkills Ireland 2026 as more than 160 finalists compete across 31 National Skills competitions as Ireland’s apprentice population reaches 31,169
WorldSkills Ireland 2026 opens its doors today at the RDS, Simmonscourt, Dublin, with 40,000 secondary school students from over 300 schools registered to attend across the three-day event.
Israel Chinakwe, Collinstown Park School, Clondalkin
Running from 16th – 18th September, WorldSkills Ireland brings together students, apprentices, employers and education providers to showcase the career opportunities available through skills, apprenticeships and Further Education and Training.
At the centre of this year’s event are 31 live National Skills competitions, with more than 160 students and apprentices competing under competition conditions. Finalists will demonstrate their skills across areas including construction, manufacturing and engineering, automotive, creative arts, hospitality and tourism, and digital technology.
The competitions give students the opportunity to see first-hand the level of skill and technical knowledge required across industry, while offering competitors the chance to test themselves on a national stage.
Alongside the competitions, visitors can take part in hands-on ‘Try a Skill’ experiences, meet employers and training providers, hear directly from people working across different industries and explore apprenticeship and Further Education and Training pathways.
This year’s event takes place against a backdrop of continued growth in apprenticeships in Ireland. As of 14th September 2026, there are 31,169 registered apprentices in the State, with 88 apprenticeship programmes now available across 17 sectors. These include construction, engineering, ICT, hospitality and food, finance and logistics, with further programmes in development.
Daire Rooney, Ben Mcgeough and James Monahan from Ballybay Community College, Monaghan
Employer participation has also increased significantly. Some 10,400 employers are now involved in apprenticeship training, compared with 3,300 in 2014.
The number of women entering apprenticeships is also continuing to grow. Women now account for 9.86% of the apprentice population, with 3,074 women registered across 1,964 employers. This compares with 2% in 2018.
Speaking on the opening day of WorldSkills Ireland 2026, Ray English, Chair of WorldSkills Ireland, said:
“Skills and apprenticeships are fundamental to Ireland’s future. They support our economy, strengthen industries and create real opportunities for people across the country. WorldSkills Ireland brings that message to life by showing young people the value of practical learning and the rewarding careers it can lead to.
“The event also has an important role to play in changing perceptions. Apprenticeships and technical careers are ambitious pathways that require real ability and can lead to long-term success. By seeing competitors perform at a national level, students can better understand the standards involved and the opportunities open to them.
“For the students coming through the doors of the RDS this week, the real value is being able to see these careers for themselves. They can watch skills being performed, try something hands-on and speak directly to the people working and training in these areas. That can make a career option that might previously have felt unfamiliar much easier to understand.”
Aoife Kennedy and Kara Hendrick, 6th year students at Ramsgrange community school, Wexford
WorldSkills Ireland also gives visitors access to employers, Education and Training Boards, Technological Universities and apprenticeship consortium employers, providing students with an opportunity to ask practical questions about training, recruitment and progression.
WorldSkills Ireland will once again run alongside The Irish Times Higher Options at the RDS. Together, the two events allow students to explore university, apprenticeships, Further Education and Training, tertiary programmes and skills-based careers during a single visit.
WorldSkills Ireland is a Government and all-industry initiative, working hand in hand to deliver the solution to Ireland’s skills shortage. Backed by leading industry partners including SISK, Construction Industry Federation, ESB Networks, Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus; sector sponsors Symetri, Fáilte Ireland and SIMI (Society of the Irish Motoring Industry) and feature sponsors MTU, Chadwicks, Irish Rail, Cairn and Kerry College, WorldSkills Ireland brings together an extensive network of industry and education partners. The event is also supported by the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, alongside the Government of Ireland and SOLAS.
WorldSkills Ireland 2026 takes place from Wednesday, 16 September to Friday, 18 September at RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin. Entry is free.
For further information and to register, visit www.worldskillsireland.ie
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