Yrkes-SM 2026 — Swedish Vocational Championships

Yrkes-SM is a Swedish championship where young people compete in different trades, and at the same time a large fair for anyone who wants to learn more about jobs and education. It is run by WorldSkills Sweden, a tripartite collaboration between LO, Svenskt Näringsliv and the Swedish state. Yrkes-SM has been held since 2004, every other year and in different places in Sweden. As a visitor you can watch the competitions, try out tasks from different trades and meet professionals. Examples of participating trades are painting, carpentry, tiling, IT, automation technology, hairdressing, goldsmithing, assistant nursing and vehicle painting. Try-it-yourself activities in 2026 included a welding simulator, operating an excavator, VR glasses to try the job of CNC operator, and climbing a nine-metre pole. Yrkes-SM 2026 in Stockholm had 31,642 visitors, 250 competitors and 80 trades on site, 40 of them competition trades. The most skilled young people get the chance to take a place in Yrkeslandslaget. The fair is aimed at pupils in lower and upper secondary school, but also at adults thinking about changing careers. According to the organiser, a visit is valuable regardless of age and experience, and admission is always free. For teachers there are preparatory exercises to do before, during and after the visit.