There's a push to encourage young people to gain skills for the workplace.

The WorldSkills competition is wrapping up today in Abu Dhabi.

Thirteen Kiwis have been competing in 51 trade skills including carpentry, robotics, hairdressing and aviation.

WorldSkills New Zealand CEO Malcolm Harris told Rachel Smalley New Zealand is facing a skills shortage of tens of thousands in the next two years.

"We are about profiling skilled careers. you know we want to get in the hearts and minds of teachers and parents that skill careers is an A option not a B option."

LISTEN ABOVE AS MALCOLM HARRIS SPEAKS WITH RACHEL SMALLEY