Adelaide has been officially announced as the host of the 2027 WorldSkills Australia National Championships and Skills Show. The country’s top apprentices, trainees, vocational students and skills professionals will compete across more than 60 skills categories, with the announcement made during the closing ceremony of the 2025 National Championships in Brisbane.
Scheduled for June 2027, the event is expected to attract thousands of competitors, trainers, employers, industry partners and spectators to South Australia, boosting the state’s profile as a national leader in vocational education and training.
“Adelaide was a natural choice for the 2027 WorldSkills Australia National Championships and Skills Show,” WorldSkills Australia CEO Trevor Schwenke said. “South Australia has a proud history of supporting excellence in skills training, and we are thrilled to bring the National Championships to Adelaide.”
The National Championships will be co-located with the Adelaide Careers and Employment Expo, creating a unique opportunity for visitors to witness world-class skills in action and discover exciting future career opportunities through interactive events, demonstrations, and the chance to speak with employers and industry experts.
Held biennially, the WorldSkills Australia National Championships and Skills Show is the nation’s largest celebration of vocational excellence. Competitors from across Australia will go head-to-head for the title of the country’s best in their respective trades and skills.
“We’re proud to partner with WorldSkills Australia to deliver an event that shines a spotlight on emerging talent and highlights the critical role training providers and industry play in shaping South Australia’s future workforce,” South Australian Skills Commissioner Cameron Baker said. The South Australian Skills Commission is deeply committed to growing WorldSkills in our state, and our involvement in this year’s National Championships is a clear demonstration of that commitment.”
Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer, was in Brisbane to attend the Skills Ministers Meeting and took the opportunity to cheer on the South Australian team competing in the Worldskills event while there. SA walked away with three gold medals, eight silver, five bronze and 11 certificates of excellence in this year’s competition.
“Seeing the International WorldSkills competition first-hand in 2024 opened my eyes to just how significant this event is, not only for the industry but for the young tradies taking part in the competition,” Boyer said. “These young people may not have had the chance to ever travel before, and being part of a team that recognises and values the work they do is a fantastic opportunity.”
The 2027 event in Adelaide will feature competitions in key sectors, including building and construction, manufacturing, IT, health, hospitality, and many others. Winners will have the opportunity to represent Australia at the 2028 WorldSkills International Competition in Aichi, Japan, where they will showcase their skills on the global stage.
South Australia has seen remarkable growth in its WorldSkills participation, with the South Australian Team (Team SA) expanding from just seven in 2023 to 63 in 2025.
Plans to bring the 2027 National Championships to Adelaide commenced at the WorldSkills International Competition in Lyon, France, during Minister Boyer’s and then-Shadow Minister John Gardner MP’s attendance at the international competition in September 2024, further demonstrating the welcome bipartisan support for reinvigorating WorldSkills in the state.
