MÜNSTER, Germany — BASF’s Coatings division has signed a new Global Industry Partnership with WorldSkills International. The agreement continues BASF’s long-standing commitment to developing new talent in the automotive refinish industry and solidifies BASF’s support of the next global WorldSkills Competition, which will be held in Shanghai in 2021.

Started in 1950, WorldSkills Competitions inspire young competitors to reach new heights, while giving them the training and skills needed to turn their passion into a profession. The last global WorldSkills Competition, held in Kazan, Russia, in 2019, featured more than 1,350 competitors from 63 countries and regions.

BASF’s sponsorship is one of several initiatives to develop skilled spray painters around the globe. “We are very happy to partner with WorldSkills once again following the successful use of our Glasurit brand of refinish coatings at WorldSkills Kazan 2019 to focus on sustainability, digitalization and diversity for the next generation of spray painters. The event brings together young people, industry, government, education and institutions to promote the benefits of our industry and drives the passion for skilled car painters to enter the field,” said Fabien Boschetti, Director, Global Marketing Automotive Refinish Coatings Solutions, BASF.

“As China prepares for WorldSkills Shanghai 2021 globally, BASF is looking forward to supporting the upcoming competition under the motto ‘New Youth, New Skills, New Dreams’ as well as the first WorldSkills Museum, which will exhibit the history of skills. This renewed opportunity allows us to use our knowledge and training facilities with the latest digitalization training in China on a global platform to shape the future of the industry,” said Patrick Zhao, Senior Vice President, Coatings Solutions Asia Pacific. BASF has been a leading educator of spray painters as part of BASF’s global STAMPP (STimulate and revAMp the Paint Profession) program, an internationally standardized one-year program with further body shop internship training for new automotive refinishing technicians.

The WorldSkills Museum located on the bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai will be the first in the world devoted to vocational skills and is a collaboration between WorldSkills International, WorldSkills China (MOHRSS), the city of Shanghai and WorldSkills Shanghai 2021, along with participation from WorldSkills’ Global Partners.

The mission of WorldSkills is to raise the profile and recognition of skilled people and show how important skills are in achieving economic growth and personal success. BASF realizes the need for young, well-trained talent is growing worldwide and is proud to partner with WorldSkills.

Other global BASF initiatives include multiple Training Centers to teach the painting skills and business background needed to enter the field. The most recent center in Toluca, Mexico, opened in late 2019.