An official partner for more than 15 years, 3M is sponsor of the Worldskills 2024 Global Skills Competition which will take place in France, in Lyon, from September 10 to 15, 2024.

The event will bring together 1,500 competitors from 65 countries and regions across five continents, who will compete in 64 disciplines, showcasing their excellence and technical mastery in front of more than 250,000 visitors. 3M is proud to sponsor six disciplines: Automotive Painting, Autobody Repair, Visual Merchandising, Painting & Decorating, Plastering & Drywalling, and Concrete Construction Work.

At 3M, we deeply value supporting young talents, professional training, continuous learning and sharing experiences. With this in mind, our technical teams are fully engaged with the competitors in the six disciplines, supporting them at each crucial stage of the WorldSkills Competition.

3M also contributes to the WorldSkills competition by providing innovative products and solutions in the categories we sponsor. We are strengthening our commitment to all WorldSkills competitors, who will also benefit from our safety glasses for optimal protection during these five days of intense competition.

Our support of this event illustrates our desire to inspire the next generation of professionals and help close the skills gap in skilled trades, meeting the ever-changing needs of the manufacturing sector.

3M SUPPORTING 6 SKILLS

Automotive Painting	Autobody Repair	Visual Merchandising
Painting & Decorating	Plastering & Drywall	Concrete Construction Work

 

Our 3M subject matter experts

Guillaume RIVA Application Engineer

Chris Colton Application Engineer

Roy Murdoch Senior Application Engineer

 

WORLDSKILLS LYON 2024

WorldSkills Lyon 2024 is the organizing entity for the 47th WorldSkills Competition. This event will take place in Lyon from September 10 to 15, 2024, and will bring together 1,500 competitors from over 65 countries and regions, who will compete in 59 trades in front of 250,000 visitors. More than just a competition, WorldSkills Lyon 2024 aims to combat prejudices surrounding vocational training to address the challenges of sectors under economic strain, and to encourage young people to choose these future-oriented professions, which, in addition to being in high demand, are also vectors of excellence, professional success, and fulfillment just as much as other career paths.

Investing in the Future Workforce

Through a $50 million investment, 3M supports organizations and programs that improve academic success and offer transformative opportunities for aspiring scientists and engineers. This investment is particularly focused on enabling individuals from underrepresented groups to enter well-paying STEM and skilled trades fields, thereby fostering sustainable economic wealth. The company has committed to creating 5 million STEM and skilled trades learning experiences by 2025, aiming to foster curiosity, enhance educational outcomes, and provide transformative opportunities for these communities. 

Around the world, 77% of people believe green jobs have a positive impact on society, and 76% say that the workforce needs more green workers (3M State of Science Insights 2024). With a growing public belief in the positive societal impact of green jobs, 3M emphasizes the importance of promoting green jobs and skills as part of a sustainable future. The company is at the forefront of creating new green positions and encouraging the development of green skills to reduce environmental impact. 3M has been advancing sustainability since the 1970s and continues to innovate in areas such as decarbonization, energy efficiency, and sustainable infrastructure. 

"Discover Your Future" – WorldSkills Germany and 3M launch nationwide education initiative

3M and WorldSkills Germany are launching a new project with the aim of inspiring young people with limited access to educational opportunities.

The project will take place in Germany (5 different locations) from November 2024 to June 2025 to offer people career orientation and practical experience in future-oriented professions to more than 1,000 young. The first event will take place in Stuttgart in November 2024. Events will follow in Mannheim, Berlin, Düsseldorf and the Frisian region in 2025.

The workshop concept is primarily aimed at young people without direct access to education and orientation opportunities, as well as young people with a migration background or with special needs. In addition, the initiative is intended to appeal primarily to schoolgirls and young women with a focus on the STEM field. At each "Discover Your Future" event, participants can choose from short "beginner's workshops" that provide a basic introduction to the topics of technology and green jobs, to full-day intensive workshops and projects lasting several days.

"Many of the problems we face today, such as climate change, require innovative solutions developed by the main actors working in STEM fields. 3M is already committed to develop young people's interest in STEM professions. With our focus on Climate Technologies, we want to give young people the opportunity to get professionally involved in the green transformation. We are glad to lead this new project and to have found a strong partner as WorldSkills Germany," says Jürgen Germann, Head of Government Affairs and Sustainability at 3M Germany.

 

Learn more about 3M and Wordskills Germany project “Discover your future”

 

Discover some 3M products used during the competition

3M™ Performance Spray Gun is the first ever spray gun designed specifically to save you time while delivering top-of-the-line performance. Its integrated system includes quick-change replaceable atomizing heads and 3M™ PPS™ Series 2.0 Spray Cups, which makes for faster cleanup, changeovers and cycle times.

After a decade of research and development, working with auto body painters all around the world, 3M is rewriting the rules on spray gun technology. Delivering precision performance, lightweight durable design, and an innovative nozzle system that makes cleanup and changeovers faster than ever before. It's a difference you will see and feel — both in your hand, and in the quality and efficiency of your paint jobs. All to improve your cycle times, so you can do more of what you love: painting.

 

3M™ “Net” Abrasives promote a cleaner, safer work environment

3M is committed to making sanding safer, cleaner and helping users be more productive to address the everyday concerns of collision repairers.

3M is reinventing the abrasives market with the introduction of 3M™ Net Abrasives, which deliver 2X longer life and 2X higher cut rates while removing up to 97% of dust particles when sanding surfaces. The 3M™ Net Abrasives portfolio, which includes Cubitron™ II/Cubitron™ II HD Grid and Blue Grid, offers collision repair shops a complete sanding solution when combined with a dust extraction sanding system for efficient surface preparation and finishing work.

 

3M Redefines Paint Finishing with 3M™ Perfect-It™ New Roto-Orbital Finishing System

The new 3M™ Perfect-It™ Orbital Finishing System helps collision repair professionals transform one of the most feared/complex processes in automotive repair into a simple, fast process that all technicians can set up and use. The goal is to improve finish quality and consistency, reduce rework and cycle times.

It helps reduce overall repair costs and increases shop productivity through faster, cleaner work and its easy-to-clean formulation. It thus avoids defects, rework and customer returns. Finally, the 3M™ Perfect-It™ Roto-Orbital Finishing System is suitable for technicians of all levels, from beginners to experienced professionals, and is designed to provide a consistent, defect-free result, regardless of experience level.

 

Scotch® and ScotchBlue™ Masking Tapes – For Perfect Painting

Scotch® and ScotchBlue™ masking tapes allow you to achieve a high-quality finish for your project, like a decorator, without having to call in professionals! Traditional masking tapes can leave dirty edges and torn, sticky pieces of tape, ruining all your work.

Our iconic ScotchBlue™ brand has been the trusted choice of DIYers for over 25 years.

Our latest ScotchBlue™ masking tapes benefit from advanced 3M technology which provides razor-sharp paint lines for perfect results, without bleeding or seepage: ideal for creating design elements, accent walls and scratches.

Ideal for everyone from DIYers to commercial and residential professionals.

 

3M™ GoggleGear™ Safety Glasses Series 2890

3M™ GoggleGear™ Safety Glasses 2890 Series are high-wrap safety glasses, available with superior anti-scratch and anti-fog coatings for increased durability and vision. Our goggles feature a modern, sleek design and a wide elastic strap for easy adjustment.

For eye protection with an excellent field of vision and reduced fogging in hot or humid conditions, use 3M™ GoggleGear™ Safety Goggles Series 2890. Our modern, slimline safety goggles are available with a wide elastic strap, for simple adjustment, to ensure a tight and comfortable fit.

 

3M™ Aura™ Dust Mask, FFP2, with Valve, 9322+ Series

3M™ Aura™ Particulate Respirators Series 9300+ feature an ergonomic 3-panel flip-up design and feature low breathing resistance filter media.

Offering levels of FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 protection, our respirator masks are available with or without a valve. They feature an innovative chin strip for easy adjustments and an embossed, sculpted top panel to reduce goggle fogging.

3M™ Aura™ Dust Masks 9300+ Series provide comfortable protection against dusts and mists in a wide variety of industrial applications and other hazardous environments. Our 9300+ series provides levels of FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 protection and allows you to speak and work comfortably.