An international meeting on vocational education and training in Jeju called for efforts to narrow the skills gap between developed and developing countries, stressing the importance of human skills in tackling economic issues.

The WorldSkills International General Assembly wrapped up a week-long event Sunday, with representatives of 45 member countries issuing a joint declaration.

“We will pursue ‘Technology Transfer for Sharing and Growing’ to enhance the potential of skills and technology in the world and narrow the gap in skills and technology between countries,” reads the Jeju Declaration.

Technologically-advanced countries will form “the incubator foundation” to support developing countries in advancing vocational capabilities, it adds.

Korea, a skills powerhouse which has won the WorldSkills Competition a total of 17 times, has committed to creating its own such facility, said Song Young-jung, head of Human Resources Development Institute of Korea and official delegate of WorldSkills Korea.

“A Global Advanced Technology Promotion Center will open this December,” he said. “With its establishment, we will increase international cooperation for technology and skills.”

The event brought together about 200 people from 45 countries for discussions on the future of vocational skills. It also chose Brazil’s Sao Paulo as the host of the 43rd WorldSkills Competition. The 42nd competition is to be held in Germany’s Leipzig in July next year.

Three countries ― Russia, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago ― were admitted to the organization, raising the total number of member countries to 61.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)