World championships in additive manufacturing – an unforgettable experience

After lengthy preparations, a Saturday and Sunday in early September marked the start of an exciting time for Fabian and the rest of the German team. Before the first competitions of WorldSkills got under way, however, the top item on the agenda after arriving in France was networking and getting to know the culture. Lyon, the host city, actually has lots to offer – including a beautiful old town and some delicious cuisine. The participants also had the chance to look around the venue before the start of the competition: the LDLC Arena is the largest covered location in Lyon, and indeed anywhere in France outside Paris. Only opened in 2023, the facility features the very latest technology, making it the perfect spot for holding the world championship for professions.  

On Monday, the agenda included finding out more about the event location. “I was particularly keen to take a very close look at my working environment, but I also wanted to see the hardware and software I would be working with. I did several test prints, for example, to get to grips with the 3D scanner I was provided with,” Fabian explains.  

On Tuesday, something special was planned: the “One School – One Country” project. Fabian and the rest of the participants were given the opportunity to visit a French school and not only see how lessons are organised there, but also report on the impressions gained during their apprenticeship and play mini games or ball sports with the students as a way of getting to know each other. “We didn't really have any language problems, because we could always make ourselves understood with English or hand signals,” says Fabian with a smile.  
That brought an end to the first few exciting days in France, with the climax of the visit now coming into focus: the competition.

Let the games begin! 

Back in the LDLC Arena, the time finally arrived for the opening ceremony. Some 13,000 relatives and spectators were on site as the participating nations trooped into the stadium. In his opening address, WorldSkills president Max Rush described the competition as one that is intended to promote the following values: excellence, generosity, openness and unity – and the hope of a better world.  
After a dance interlude, a number of speeches and the presentation of the programme came the surprise: France's president, Emmanuel Macron, himself appeared and declared WorldSkills 2024 open.  
Following this exciting evening, Fabian and all the rest of the participants returned to their hotel – after all, they would be facing off in the first competitions the next day! 

At 8.30 on Wednesday morning, Fabian began with the first 3D printing challenge, which involved creating a counterpart for a construction site helmet holder by metal 3D printing and optimising table legs through generative design within the space of five hours. During this week, he designed a drilling fixture for helmets, completed a reverse engineering project and devised a lamp attachment for helmets that can be detached with one hand and was manufactured using digital light processing printing methods. He also took part in a training session for 3D scanning and software and improved his components in post-processing.  

Fabian reached the high point of the competition on Saturday, when he was able to showcase his skills in 3D scanning and customisation. He scanned two components, redesigned them based on the scans and adapted a drill hole for a shaft. The week finished with a team challenge in which the designed component was stressed until fracture in order to test its resilience. “Although the task was not graded, it was still great fun!”, Fabian says.  

That marked the end of the competition, with the tension duly falling away. The team around Fabian finished the week in true German style with a meal together, a chance to sit down with families and trainers and, especially, a look back over a great adventure that was now ending. After the closing ceremony in the Olympique Lyon stadium, all the participants embarked on their homeward journey with a lot of new experiences in their baggage. 

Back in Germany, Fabian draws a conclusion: “I am incredibly grateful for this unique opportunity. The intensely competitive atmosphere, the breathtaking opening and closing ceremonies, the cultural exchanges and getting to know other participants from all over the world not only opened up new horizons for me but also reinforced my enthusiasm for additive manufacturing. This journey was more than a competition – it was a milestone in my personal and professional development.” 

Visiting the chancellery 

That WorldSkills is highly regarded in many countries becomes clear when one considers the leading politicians that Fabian got to meet this year. Following his surprising encounter with Emmanuel Macron during the competition, he recently travelled to Berlin on 3 December to receive an honour from German chancellor Olaf Scholz. The day in the chancellery began with an exciting tour for the whole team. The chancellor then personally welcomed all those present and gave an address recognising the immense importance of vocational education. Olaf Scholz emphasised the central role that apprenticeship trades play in the economic and social development of Germany and how proud he was of the German national team. After his inspiring words, the participants had the opportunity to talk to the chancellor about their own experiences and to give him some workpieces made specially for the occasion. 

As Fabian explains, “It’s always good to be recognised for your trade – even more so when it comes from the chancellor himself. It is this appreciation which shows me that I am doing the right thing. And for that – and I believe I can speak for the whole of the national team here – I am very grateful.” That was the end of Fabian's exciting journey to WorldSkills, which he certainly won't forget in a hurry.