From migrant worker to world champ: the journey of Chongqing youth

Liang Pan, a 22-year-old from Chongqing, took just six years to become a world champion from just a secondary vocational school student.

He won the gold medal at the 45th World Skills Competition in Electronics in Kazan, Russia, in August 2019. The event is the biggest vocational education and skills excellence event in the world, organized every two years by the World Skills International with an aim to showcase the best in skills and promote career of youth.

In 2012, Liang failed to clear the senior high school entrance examination, and became a migrant worker for a year. Then he decided to return to school.

In September 2013, Liang entered Chongqing Mechanical Technician College to study motor and electrical assembly and maintenance. He said he valued the chance more than ever.

One year later, Liang was admitted to the national school training team for World Skills Competition. In August 2016, he got the first chance to compete in the national selection competition of the 44th WSC held in Shanghai, winning the third place.

Through intensive training, Liang broke his way to victory and won the 45th WSC.

Many companies showed interest in hiring Liang, but Liang committed himself to his former job as a teacher in Chongqing Technician College of Railway Transportation, as well as a coach in the Chinese Training Base in Electronics for WSC located in the same school, with a hope to cultivate more talent in electronics and help more young people realize their dreams.

"My goal is to train the next world champion," he said.