IAPMO Marks 10-Year Partnership with WorldSkills to Advance Plumbing Trades

DUBROVNIK, CROATIA — The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO®) and its charitable arm, the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH®), are celebrating 10 years as a WorldSkills Global Industry Partner. The milestone was recognized this week during the WorldSkills International General Assembly in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

A Decade of Partnership to Advance Skilled Trades

Since joining WorldSkills in 2015, IAPMO has collaborated with the global organization to promote training and workforce development in the plumbing and mechanical trades. The partnership underscores the essential role these industries play in public health, safety, and sustainability, aligning with IAPMO’s mission to improve the built environment through technical expertise and collaboration.

Commitment to Workforce Development and Public Health

“Marking a decade as a WorldSkills Global Industry Partner is a significant milestone that underscores IAPMO’s deep commitment to advancing the plumbing and mechanical industries worldwide,” said Dave Viola, IAPMO CEO. “Together with WorldSkills and through initiatives like IWSH Plumbing Champions, we are not only training and supporting the next generation of skilled professionals, but we’re also demonstrating the essential role these trades play in protecting public health, advancing sustainability, and building stronger, more resilient communities.”

Supporting Skills Growth Worldwide

This anniversary comes as WorldSkills celebrates its 75th year, marking its founding in Madrid, Spain, in 1950. What began as a postwar effort to rebuild skilled labor has grown into a global movement spanning 89 countries and regions, with a goal of helping 100 million young people gain technical training by 2030.

IWSH Expands Role Beyond Competition

Through IWSH, IAPMO supports demonstration projects that connect skilled tradespeople and apprentices to real-world opportunities—bringing clean water, safe sanitation, and vocational growth to communities in need. These projects highlight how plumbing and mechanical professionals make measurable impacts on public health and sustainability worldwide.

“IAPMO, with the IWSH Foundation, allows us to do projects in a do-good way around the world where we can capitalize on the skill set of people who are at the top of their game, specialists and experts,” said David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills. “You have enriched and made our organization better and stronger by being part of it.”

Looking Ahead to WorldSkills 2026

The next WorldSkills Competition will be held Sept. 22–27, 2026, in Shanghai, China, where IAPMO and IWSH will continue supporting skills excellence and innovation in plumbing and mechanical systems.

For more information on IAPMO, visit iapmo.org.

For more information on the WorldSkills organization, visit worldskills.org. 

Note: this press release was rewritten with help from generative AI.