WorldSkills Hong Kong 2018: Inspiring Skills Excellence

[Sponsored Article]

Last week saw the successful completion of the months-long WorldSkills Hong Kong Competition 2018, in which top winners of 25 trades were selected. Hong Kong representatives will be chosen to take part in the WorldSkills Competition, hailed as the Skills Olympics, to be held in Kazan, Russia, next year.

David Hoey, Chief Executive Officer of WorldSkills International with a vision to improve the world with the power of skills, was the guest of honour at the prize presentation ceremony of WorldSkills Hong Kong Competition this year. He said in an exclusive interview, “Skills change the lives of young people around the globe. With our members in 79 countries and regions around the world, we build the confidence of millions of young people, empowering communities and fueling economies.”

 

Hoey has long advocated for wider recognition of skills-based qualifications. “More and more countries are putting a greater emphasis on encouraging young people to choose a vocational career. Vocational education is critical to today's economy. To be competitive and strong, education must prepare the workers to meet the industry demands and opportunities,” he said.

The WorldSkills Competition reflects the diversity of industry and commerce across the world. It provides a platform for young people to showcase their skills excellence. Alongside the changing job landscape and industries, jobs not seen five years ago have now arisen. “It is very important that we continue to introduce new skills competitions based upon new and emerging technologies and sectors,” Hoey added. “These represent exciting career opportunities for young people, attractive business opportunities for companies, and economic development for countries."

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Youth Skills Competition of Hong Kong, Dr Clement Chen Cheng-jen, praised the young participants, “Every skill can be developed into a profession. We encourage young people to participate in skills competition, and these experiences are conducive to their personal and career development.”