Meet the WorldSkills Champions Trust representatives for 2023 to 2024: Shae White
23 February 2024
Shae White, returning WorldSkills Champions Trust representative for 2023 to 2024, has been an active member of the WorldSkills community for a few years and competed at WorldSkills Kazan 2019 in Cooking. The Caribbean Champion hopes to get exposure internationally for the population of her island, and especially the youth.
Why did you apply to become a Champions Trust representative? How did it feel to be elected?
I applied initially because I was inspired by Pearl So, a former representative who gave a speech about her experience. Barbados is a very small island in the Caribbean where people don’t get a lot of opportunities and resources, so I thought that becoming a WorldSkills Champions Trust representative would be the opportunity to get some exposure for my region, further the skills movement, and help young people like me get a foot through the door on an international platform. When I was elected, I ran up and down my apartment screaming. To be from a small island and to make it on an international stage was very important for me.
What does the WorldSkills movement mean to you? How would you describe it in three words?
Skills can be looked down on, and people sometimes believe that skills are for people who are not able to pursue academic careers, so to me, a movement like WorldSkills is very important to show young people that you can pursue a skill if that’s what you want to do, regardless of preconceived ideas people can have. In three words, WorldSkills to me is: inspirational, innovative, and important.
“Invest in yourself and what you want for your future.”
What is your advice to current Competitors and how do you wish to inspire them as a WSCT representative?
The Competition is hard, and you are going to be tired, but have fun and enjoy the experience. WorldSkills is not a Competition that is solely about winning and medals, it’s about meeting the world’s standards and about skills development across the world. You need to immerse yourself in that experience that a lot of people are not going to be able to have. You’re also representing your country so it’s a very important milestone for a lot of people. I think people can learn from my story, because coming from such a small island and not having the exposure and opportunities that other people have goes to show that if you believe in yourself and put in the work, you can really accomplish anything: the world is your oyster.
What would you say to a young person hesitating to enter a skill-based education and training path?
Don’t conform to societal pressure and go for it. You are probably genuinely going to enjoy the experience. Invest in yourself and what you want for your future.
Do you have a favorite WorldSkills memory, an anecdote to share?
One of my favorite memories was when I arrived at the Competition in Russia in this massive arena with people from all over the world. Coming from my small island, I remember finding it disconcerting but really inspiring. It was a feeling of accomplishment to realize that we had made it to such a “massive” event.
