Young Waterford man to travel to China to represent Ireland on world stage
The Waterford man has been selected to represent Ireland in Shanghai
A young Waterford man is set to travel to China to represent Ireland in an international competition.
Adam Long has been selected to compete at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, often referred to as the ‘Skills Olympics’.
Taking place from September 22 to 27, WorldSkills Shanghai will bring together more than 1,400 competitors from over 70 countries and regions across 64 different skill areas.
Adam, who will compete in Digital Construction, is one of 16 young Irish competitors selected to represent Team Ireland at the prestigious international competition.
Before heading to China, the 24 year-old will also be among the Irish talent showcased at WorldSkills Ireland 2026, which returns to RDS Simmonscourt from September 16 to 18.
For a select group of Ireland’s most talented young competitors, the RDS event marks another important milestone on their road to Shanghai.
The three-day event at the RDS will bring together young people from across Ireland to experience the skills and career opportunities available through apprenticeships, further education and training.
The event will feature 31 live national competition finals, alongside interactive Try-A-Skill areas, career and educator zones and inspirational talks.
Speaking on the benefits of WorldSkills Ireland to his career, Adam said: “Competing at an international level will help show my dedication, skills and knowledge around digital construction and make me more known within the company”.
Introduced to WorldSkills by his college lecturer at SETU, Adam has gone from being unfamiliar with the competition to competing internationally in preparation for Shanghai.
For Adam and those competing in Shanghai, the journey began long before stepping onto the international stage, with competitors undertaking intensive preparation and honing their skills against some of the best young talent in Ireland.
Ray English, Chair of WorldSkills Ireland, said: “Skills and apprenticeships are fundamental to Ireland’s future.
“They power our economy, strengthen industry and open doors to rewarding careers. WorldSkills Ireland shows young people that practical and technical skills are not a second choice, they are a first-choice route to success”.
With WorldSkills Ireland taking place just days before the international competition, visitors to the RDS will have the opportunity to see Ireland’s future skilled workforce in action, discover different career pathways and get hands-on with a wide range of skills.