TicinoSkills 2026: competitions, career guidance and 50 years of SSIC TI

Context

TL;DR

• TicinoSkills 2026 took place from October 1 to 3 in Gordola
• 44 apprentices competed in the regional championships
• More than 600 students visited the event
• Nearly 400 attendees took part in the day with families

Key facts

• Event → TicinoSkills & Porte Aperte
• Dates → from October 1 to 3, 2026
• Venue → SSIC TI Vocational Training Centre, Gordola
• Support → Department of Education, Culture and Sport (DECS)
• Participants → 44 apprentices
• Visitors for career guidance → more than 600 students
• Saturday attendance → nearly 400
• Anniversary → 50 years of the SSIC TI Vocational Training Centre

Three days of competition and career guidance

From October 1 to 3, 2026, Gordola hosted the seventh edition of TicinoSkills & Porte Aperte. The event took place at the SSIC TI Vocational Training Centre, with the support of the Department of Education, Culture and Sport (DECS), and combined the regional championships for professions in the building trades with opportunities to explore careers.

The edition was a great success. A total of 44 apprentices competed in the regional championships for professions in the building trades. The event combined competition among the contestants with the presence of students, families and visitors interested in learning more about vocational training.

During the three days, more than 600 students exploring their career options visited the event. The visit offered the opportunity to discover new professions, find inspiration and gain ideas for the future or a new passion. The students’ participation complemented the competitions with a moment dedicated to those considering their own path.

Saturday added a family and community dimension. As part of the Millestrade project, families were at the centre of the day, with nearly 400 attendees recorded on site. At the same time, the entire population was invited to take part in the celebrations marking 50 years of the SSIC TI Vocational Training Centre.

It was therefore not an event reserved solely for contestants. The programme involved apprentices competing in the championships, students exploring their career options, families and the general public, with the Gordola Centre serving as the common venue for the various activities. DECS support accompanied an event dedicated to the skills and opportunities offered by vocational training.

The programme concluded with the awards ceremony on Saturday, October 3, 2026. On that day, the new Ticino champions were proclaimed, bringing to a close three days dedicated to regional competitions, career guidance and celebrations marking the centre’s fiftieth anniversary.

Operational details

The championship results

The seven regional podiums

The awards ceremony on Saturday, October 3, 2026, was a particularly moving moment. The ceremony culminated in the announcement of the new male and female Ticinese champions, completing the competition program for the seventh edition.

The director of the Gordola Vocational Center, Paolo Ortelli, congratulated the participants, both male and female. He encouraged them to continue along their professional paths with dedication and to contribute to the quality of training in the canton.

For each profession, the podium finishes announced during the event are as follows:

The rankings include seven professions: carpenters, electrical installers, agricultural machinery mechanics, metal construction workers, metal construction welders, bricklayers, and tilers. The associated companies and locations are indicated alongside the names of the award winners.

On the metal construction welders' podium, the three places are occupied by Leonardo Bargiga, Simone Amicucci, and Antonio Iraci, all listed with Ghidoni SA in Riazzino. Bazzi Piastrelle SA in Losone also appears in two positions on the tilers' podium, with Aref Hosseini in first place and Noel Bugada in third. The locations listed alongside the award winners include Sementina, Riazzino, Giubiasco, Lugano, Chiasso, Bellinzona, Arbedo, Novaggio, Minusio, Chiggionia, Olivone, Bioggio, Berzona, Davesco-Soragno, Losone, and Porza.

Key points

The experience beyond the rankings

Families, schools and the world of work

Among the award winners, several young people expressed great satisfaction with the result achieved and the experience they had. They highlighted the value of the competition as an opportunity for personal and professional growth, beyond the mere outcome of the rankings.

The spirit of the event also involved visitors. During the three days, they were able to discover new professions, draw inspiration and find ideas for their future or for a new passion. The public therefore played a role in the learning journey offered in Gordola, alongside the apprentices taking part in the competitions.

The director of the Department of Education, Culture and Sport, Marina Carobbio Guscetti, expressed satisfaction with the event's success and highlighted the importance of TicinoSkills.

“Events such as TicinoSkills 2026 are important for Ticino: they give visibility to the skills of our young women and young men and to the many opportunities offered by vocational education and training.”

Carobbio Guscetti identified class visits as particularly valuable. Seeing professions up close helps girls and boys concretely discover the possibilities offered by an apprenticeship and imagine their future. The message thus links the experience gained during the event to the choice of career path.

The director also recalled DECS's commitment throughout the year through the Millestrade platform. The stated objective is to create opportunities for direct encounters among young people, parents, professions, schools and the world of work. The Gordola event fit into this perspective through visits by students, family participation and interaction with the professions represented in the championships.

Thanks for the event's success went to the professional associations, the male and female trainers, as well as the male and female apprentices who contributed to it. It was also extended to all the people involved in the event, which brought competitions, career guidance and public participation to Gordola.

Source: ticinonews.ch