At a time when Vocational Training continues to demand the place it deserves, the recent SpainSkills 2026 competition, held in Madrid, has once again demonstrated that talent isn’t something you can just whip up… it’s something you train, support, and believe in.
But this year there was something more.
Something that goes beyond the competition, the medals, and the podium.
✨ “More Than Medals”: An Exhibition That Moves and Connects
Within the framework of SpainSkills, we were able to experience the exhibition “More Than Medals,” a project that puts a face, a story, and a purpose to Spain’s participation in international Vocational Training competitions.
An exhibition that not only showcases achievements but also conveys values:
💡 effort
💡 perseverance
💡 teamwork
💡 pride in vocational training
Behind this initiative is a key figure: Nuria Portland, Event Operations Manager at WorldSkills and curator of the exhibition. Her work has been, quite simply, brilliant. She has transformed an exhibition into an emotional experience that connects the past, present, and future of vocational training.
👏 José Rubio: commitment, track record, and purposeful leadership
And when we talk about Skills in Spain, one name stands out: José Rubio.
To speak of José is to speak of:
🔹 a passion for teaching
🔹 quiet but firm leadership
🔹 strategic vision
🔹 unwavering commitment to vocational training
His track record is, without a doubt, one of the most solid within the educational ecosystem and Skills competitions. He has held numerous positions, but always with a clear vision:
👉 to defend Vocational Training
👉 to promote young talent
👉 to position Spain on the European and global Skills map
José Rubio doesn’t just believe in competitions… he lives them, drives them, and builds them.
And, above all, he does so with a principle that makes all the difference:
🤝 teamwork, synergy, and building together
Because if anything defines the Skills spirit, it’s precisely that: community, collaboration, and a shared purpose.
🚀 SpainSkills: where the future is built
SpainSkills is not just a competition.
It’s a showcase of excellence.
It’s a meeting point between education and business.
It’s a catalyst for social transformation.
And events like this remind us of something essential:
👉 Vocational Training is not an alternative… it’s a valuable choice.
Today more than ever, we need to continue investing in technical talent, in the professions, in those who build, install, repair, design, and move our country forward every day.
What we experienced at SpainSkills 2026 and the “More Than Medals” exhibition isn’t measured in medals…
It’s measured in impact.
It’s measured in inspiration.
It’s measured in the future.
Thanks to people like Nuria Portland and José Rubio, vocational training continues to advance steadily, with pride and a clear vision:
👉 to train professionals
👉 to create opportunities
👉 to transform lives
