Team Portugal wins Robotics Title at EuroSkills

Teams from Portugal, Hungary, and Germany have claimed the top spots in a Europe-wide competition showcasing the next generation of automation talent. The contest in the skill of “Robot Systems Integration” was held from 9 to 13 September 2025 in Herning, Denmark, bringing together 13 highly skilled teams from across the continent. The event was sponsored by FANUC, a global leader in factory automation and a Global Industry Partner of WorldSkills since 2018.

After three days of intense competition, the Portuguese team emerged as the winner, outperforming strong contenders from Hungary and Germany, who took second and third place respectively. The contest, open to participants under 25, was part of EuroSkills, Europe’s largest vocational education and skills excellence event. This year’s edition welcomed 600 participants from 32 countries, competing across 38 disciplines.
In addition to the winners from Portugal, Hungary and Germany, as well as the host country Denmark, teams from Austria, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Romania and Slovenia took part in the “Robot Systems Integration” competition. Participants had to mechanically set up a robot cell and integrate a vision system (camera) before drilling predefined positions on an engine component. In parallel, they also developed a digital twin in the FANUC ROBOGUIDE software to present the simulation running on it.

“Solving the task in a very short time was the greatest challenge”, said Diogo Pinto who won the competition alongside teammate Loris Sgroj. Both studied at CENFIM School in Amarante and earned their place in the European championship by winning the national robotics competition in Portugal in November 2024. At just 21 years old, the two automation specialists hold degrees in Industrial Mechatronics and are currently pursuing further studies in Robotics while already working at a system integrator.

Preparing for the European competition required nearly two years of dedicated training and countless late nights. “We feel absolutely great as we achieved what we worked so hard for”, added Diogo Pinto. “We`re also deeply grateful to FANUC Iberia for their technical support and guidance throughout our preparation.” The next major milestone for the winning team will be the WorldSkills international competition, set to take place in Shanghai, China, in 2026. 

Robotics continues to play a transformative role not only in manufacturing but also in sectors such as healthcare and skilled trades. As automation demand rises amid a global shortage of skilled workers, training the next generation of robotics experts is more critical than ever. Through competitions like EuroSkills and partnerships with educational institutions, FANUC is committed to inspiring young talent and promoting careers in robotics.