In May, Sinéad Caulfield made a very personal trip to the WorldSkills Museum. She was there to see a hall cabinet handcrafted by her father more than 60 years ago. This unique piece of furniture, that she grew up with at her home in Ireland, is now a valued exhibit in the world’s only museum dedicated entirely to skills.
Ms Caulfield visited the exhibition as part of a guided tour led by the WorldSkills Museum team. When she saw the cabinet that had been part of her childhood, now residing almost 10,000 kilometres away in China, she said, “It looked even better than I remembered it growing up, and I still love it.”
Ms Caulfield was fascinated by the whole museum and remarked how special it felt to see her father’s work among the other artefacts. She said, “It was a great honour to be welcomed by the team. We saw the different displays across the many floors of the museum and were very impressed, especially with my father’s furniture on display there.”
Francis Caulfield competed in Cabinetmaking in several WorldSkills Competitions during the 1960s. The cabinet in the Museum won him a silver medal at the 12th WorldSkills Competition which was held in Dublin in 1963. He decided to donate it when a call went out across the WorldSkills community for memorabilia that could be housed in the WorldSkills Museum.
Mr Caulfield remembers, “I was only too pleased to share it based on the recognition that WorldSkills has given to all trades. I have loaned it for five years but would be happy to extend this period. I have four other daughters and many grandchildren who could come see it on exhibition here.”
His daughter’s trip to China to see the cabinet brought back many memories for Mr Caulfield. He reflects, “WorldSkills was a smaller Competition then than it is now. It was only in Europe at that stage. I took part in local competitions in order to qualify and then represent my country.”
Mr Caulfield recalls how challenging the cabinet was to make. He says, “There were no machines available to us at that time, so it was totally handwork. The cabinet has a ‘secret’ mitre dovetail, which cannot be seen but was the most difficult element to do. The design called for 45-degree mitres on all four corners, and I remember being the only Competitor to do this.”
Despite being initially disappointed to only receive a silver medal, Mr Caulfield says he was proud to bring a medal home to Ireland. He puts his success down to being a perfectionist and very persistent, qualities he has continued to use throughout his life. He reflects, “My experience in the competitions gave me the confidence to take on challenges in my career and to successfully make a good life for myself and my family.”
Now, over 60 years later, he is proud that his daughter is able to see his medal-winning cabinet once more in the spotlight at the WorldSkills Museum, along with the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come to WorldSkills Museum each year.
Mark Callaghan, Director of Event Operations at WorldSkills International and WorldSkills Museum Project Director, is grateful to all those who have loaned their prized possessions to the exhibition. He says, “In September, the WorldSkills Museum will be a key focal point of WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. Mr Caulfield’s cabinet, and the many thousands of artefacts like it, are there to inspire a new generation of young people and show them the creativity, innovation, and opportunities that skills offer.”
To the Competitors who are stepping onto the global stage for skills later this year, Mr Caulfield says, “I congratulate them on having the courage to get this far. They should take pride in their achievements and show that skills and intelligence can lead to a very fulfilling and rewarding career. I would tell them to enjoy the experience, have fun with the other Competitors, and continue to learn. My message is one of excitement and encouragement.”
Learn more about the exhibits and to plan your visit.