A Singapore team will be among a record number of competitors in a battle of skills in Sao Paulo, Brazil next month.

Organisers say 1,230 youth from more than 60 countries will be vying for medals in 50 areas in the 43rd WorldSkills competition, dubbed the "Olympics of Skills".

Singapore is sending 22 men and women aged 17 to 22 from the Institute of Technical Education and polytechnics.

They will be gunning for medals in 20 areas including beauty therapy and Web design and were chosen after emerging top of their trades in WorldSkills Singapore - the local version of the competition.

The global contest, organised by non-profit group WorldSkills International, aims to raise the image of vocational education and training.

Contestants will need to complete different tasks over four days; the judges are experts in their fields from around the world.

For instance, in the health and social care category, the contestants will carry out various challenges that could involve handling dementia "patients" (played by actors) and giving injections.

Beauty therapy competitors will be required to finish tasks such as giving a model a lomi lomi massage, doing a pedicure and manicure and putting on evening make-up.

Those in the cooking category will be judged on how well they prepare dishes from appetisers to desserts.