Representatives from 59 nations will this evening attend the opening ceremony of the 44th WorldSkills finals (live stream at the end of article).
Around 1,300 competitors and members of the UAEs royal family, will be joined by technical experts, delegates, and supporters and to observe one of the most spectacular WorldSkills ceremonies in competition’s history.
Taking place from 16:30 (BST) and 19:30 (local UAE time) at the newly built du Arena in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island district, organisers have spent several days converting the space ahead of this evening’s ceremony.
The opening ceremony marks the start of a four-day intensive competition which will see competitors undertake their toughest challenge to date.
Apart from the parade of nations, where competing countries are formally presented to a global audience; the official programme for the evening has been a closely guarded secret.
So far, limited information has been released to the press – however, sources close to WorldSkills have suggested the evening will feature a fly pass from UAEs air force, an address from a representative of the royal family and performances reflecting the history and culture of the local area and world.
The ceremony will last for around two and a half hours. A live stream of the ceremony is available below.
🎉Whoop whoop!!! 🎉 Let’s get a RT for #TeamUK @worldskillsuk taking to the stage @WorldSkillsAD. #WS_AbuDhabi 🎉 https://t.co/vjsNOiRIOT pic.twitter.com/wYY3ieKNBN
— Nick Linford (@NickLinford) October 14, 2017
Follow the FE Week twitter feed (@FEWeek) for live coverage of the ceremony and competition.
Competing will officially commence tomorrow morning at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and finish on Wednesday afternoon. The closing ceremony will take place on Thursday evening where results will be announced and medals presented to the winning competitors in each of the 51 skills.
Send your message of good luck to the team using the #TeamUK and our ‘Go Team UK’ social media image. (click here to download). Also include the official event hashtag #WS_AbuDhabi .
FE Week are proud to be the official media partners for Team UK and WorldSkills UK.
Good luck Team UK
we are right behind you . . . . Go TeamUK !!!!!
Make Britain proud! We’re with you all the way.
Go for it Team UK, show them what we are made of
Best of luck to you all – you are further education at its best!
Good luck team GB at World skills 2017 from Yeovil College
Good luck everyone. Hope you all do fantastic. Wish we could be there to support you. Best wishes from all at Blue Apple
An inspirational team, who will achieve great things. We are proud of all of you for your superb skills. Go for it!
Looking forward to supporting the whole team this week, but particularly our amazing engineers Ethan Jones (CNC) and Joe Massey (Aerospace). Good luck everyone – pob lwc pawb!
Well done Team UK for all your hard work in getting selected for WorldSkills 2017. We’re sure you will do fantastically well and will be bringing home some medals. We are very proud of you.
Good Luck Team GB we know you will do us proud – Sue – City College Plymouth
Good Luck Team UK! We are all wishing you every success and hope you have the very best experience and enjoyment.
Sending our support and best wishes from everyone at Nova Training.
Good Luck at World Skills Team GB !
You’ve all worked so hard and prepared so well for WorldSkills – now is your chance to compete for those medals and commendations on the world stage. Everyone at New College Stamford wishes you well. Good luck Team UK!
Best of luck to team GB from MPQC
Good Luck to everyone taking part! Thinking of you and wishing you all the best, from all at Central Bedfordshire College. Prof. James Crabbe, Chair of Governors
Very best of luck to all the Team UK competitors in Abu Dhabi from Semta, the advanced manufacturing and engineering skills champion!
Our CEO said this on Friday:
“The WorldSkills competitions are a fantastic way for our very best and brightest young engineers to show the rest of the world just what they and our country are made of.
“As the organising partner for the engineering competitions, the Semta Team is backing them all the way and the country should be hugely proud of the team, whatever happens in Abu Dhabi.
“We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed that these young people bring home even more medals than in 2015 and show once again that the engineers being developed by Semta and by UK industry are truly world class.”
(More here: http://semta.org.uk/news-events/25-latest-news/5430-talented-young-competitors-backed-to-go-for-gold-in-abu-dhabi-by-engineering-skills-champion)
Good luck Team UK at World Skills UK from all at the University of Chester.
GO Team UK. Wishing you all the best of luck and I am sure you will have lots of fun along the way. With best wishes Charlotte and all the team at Innovate Awarding
Good luck to the GB team from Construction Training Specialists Ltd
Good Luck to team GB from Veolia UK, we are all ready know that you are amazing.
Have an awesome time.
A big shout out to Team UK competing in WorldSkills in Abu Dhabi this week! Be proud of what you’ve achieved so far and have confidence in your outstanding skills! My AoC colleague Emma will be out there cheering you on and I’ll be following your progress this week! All the best and good luck! Marguerite Hogg, AoC
All the Best of Luck Team GB at World Skills 2017 from NCC Education
We’re rooting for the 34 UK competitors at WorldSkills; inspirational young people who are inspiring young people in the UK and beyond! Come on guys, show us those medals!
Good luck Team UK! We will be behind you all the way! From the team and apprentices working at the South West Apprenticeship Company @SWACApprentices
Good luck to everyone! Do your best.
Good luck to team GB at World skills 2017 from all at West Lancs College
All the best to all the participants.
Good Luck team GB at World Skills 2017 from all at Lancaster Training Services Ltd. #GOTEAMGB
Good luck Team GB, I am sure you will be fantastic and make sure you enjoy it. From everyone at Acacia Training Limited
Go Go Team UK! – so very proud of you all – very best of luck from everyone at Trafford College
Good luck team GB!! from all the team at Pathway Group
Good Luck to all competitors taking part, enjoy the experience and let’s make GB proud.
All the very best from City College Nottingham.
Good luck Team UK!
Good Luck team GB at World Skills 2017 we’re rooting for you. From all at Link2ICT AQUA
What a great team ! Have a fantastic time – you are making us all very proud. From Gail and all at NCFE
Good luck to an impressive bunch of people!
Breda Leyne – ESquared
Go get ’em Team GB. Best of luck from Warwickshire Adult Learning Service
Good luck Team GB – just be your amazing selves and blow them away with your talent! From everyone at Derwentside College.
A wonderful experience for all taking part. Wishing you the very best and look forward to reading about successful outcomes and celebration of many medals for our team GB at the World Skills 2017. Enjoy and compete hard.
You’ve all worked hard to be part of Team GB. Do you best and be proud that you’re on the world stage showcasing your skills.
Congratulations to Team UK for all the work and dedication taken to reach the World Skills Finals 2017. Already World Class, now go for Gold. Best wishes from all at incentive-8 #GOTEAMGB
Well done to team GB for all their hard work getting this far, remember positive thoughts give positive results so looking forward to seeing the pride on all your faces when you do so well. Go for it!!
Team UK will go all the way! Good luck from Community Heroes!
Good luck, Team GB!
Very best of luck Team GB. Let your amazing talent shine through! From everyone at Open College Network West Midlands.
All the very best of luck to all Team UK, I am sure you will do your country proud. Enjoy every experience – The Derbyshire Network
Good luck, Team UK, you’re all Champions 😀
Congratulations and best of luck to everyone competing this year at WorldSkills! You’re all incredible and inspirational young people and we hope you all enjoy yourselves.
With best wishes from the team at Parkhouse Bell.
Good luck Team UK! Enjoy what I’m sure will be a fantastic experience
Have a fantastic time team GB – Good luck X
Very best of luck from all at Prospects College of Advanced Technology. Have a great time and enjoy the experience!
Congratulations and Good Luck to Team UK – from all at Avant Partnership
Skills represent a vital ingredient for successful self-development, business development and economic development. You have already demonstrated a huge level of skill and this week you have the opportunity to show that your achievements are indeed ‘world-class’. Go for it, enjoy yourself and yourself and your country proud!
You can do it!
Graham Hoyle OBE
Good luck to all in Team UK – a great achievement to get to Abu Dhabi – you can now show the world what you’re made of! Enjoy an amazing experience.
Good luck Team GB
Congratulations on making the World Skills finals, from the Lawn Tennis Association. Good luck and enjoy the experience.
Good luck to all Team UK competitors – you’ve done amazingly well to get this far. Hope you have a great time!
Great to recognise young people our future. Best of luck to Team UK
Good luck Team GB – Phoenix4Training LLP
We’re with you all the way! Very best of luck for all staff and students at United Colleges Group (College of North West London and City of Westminster College)
Good luck to everyone taking part; what a fantastic opportunity, you’ll all be amazing. Work hard but have fun, enjoy every moment and go for ‘GOLD’
Good luck Team UK from all at Buckinghamshire Adult Learning
Good luck to Team GB from all at Central Bedfordshire Council!
Best wishes to all of the UK team, we look forward to supporting you and following your progress. Staff and students at Scarborough TEC.
Go Team UK! Have a spectacular time and we are all cheering you on at the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London CONEL.
We can’t wait to find out more about what you are all doing and winning!!
Good luck to all the fantastic competitors in #Team UK. Particular big shouts out for Steve and Josh from Hull, McCauley from Grimsby and Kaiya from Sussex Downs Colleges at all of which I’ve had the pleasure of supporting WorldSkills.
Good luck team GB and expecting Scottish contingent to shine as usual !
Congratulations Team UK, very best of luck, have a fantastic time, enjoy every minute x
Good luck everyone. An achievement just to be there. Well done.
Good Luck Team GB we know you will do us proud – Darren – STC Group
Good luck Team UK from everyone here at Writtle University College, Essex!!!
Good luck team uk!!
Congratulations on such a great achievement already to be there,so good luck and enjoy this amazing experience. Have faith that you really do have world class skills and be proud ambassadors for your colleges and Team UK.
Keep your cool, and good luck in the competition!!
Good luck to all Team UK competitors (especially our Brock Alumni) – You’ve done amazingly well to get this far. Hope you have a great experience!
Good luck Team UK at World Skills
Dave Wheeler
Good luck Team UK and best wishes from Birmingham City University.
Resham Gill
Last few hours of competition. Good luck to all of you and particularly Angus in Cabinet Making supported by UK training manager Christian Notley – going for a third gold.
Go Team UK!
We are all very proud of you.
Good Luck Team UK at World Skills!!
Congratulations guys, a truly monumental effort.
Real ambassadors for UK industry, British values and our training culture. All at the Vocational College wish you great success!!
Good Luck team UK at this years World Skills, you are showing the world that we are still world leaders when it comes to skill and determination
Good luck to Team UK on final day. You’re doing a brilliant job!
Good Luck Team UK, we are all routing for you.
Good luck Team UK!
Best Wishes to the team
Good luck Team UK and have fun!
Good Luck Team UK
Good Luck and very best wishes to the 34 young competitors taking part in the WorldSkills (essentially the skills olympics) currently in Abu Dhabi from all the students and staff at Northampton College
You are all amazing individuals, all the best with your final push for medal success. Everyone back in the UK is willing you on. All the best.
What an amazing achievement to get to Worldskills 2017. Good luck Team GB, we are with you all the way. Show the world what an amazing and skilled bunch you really are.
congratulations to each and every one of you, you are all winners and we are all proud of your achievements
Very best wishes to all competitors having got this far. We are immensely proud of your success and skills. From all at Nelson & Colne College, Lancashire
Good luck team GB!
From Association of South East Colleges (AOSEC)
Have a fantastic experience, everyone is right behind you wishing you well. Good luck! From all at Hertfordshire Adult and Family Learning Service (HAFLS)