Shanghai's Qingpu district gears up for 48th WorldSkills Competition

Shanghai's Qingpu district is entering the final stretch as it prepares to host the 48th WorldSkills Competition, an event that will bring over 1,000 young skilled professionals from more than 80 countries and regions to the city from Sept 22 to 27.

The competition will take place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), with official contests running from Sept 23 to 26. As the primary host district, Qingpu has shifted into full operational readiness.

"With less than a month until the opening ceremony, the entire district is making an all-out effort in this final sprint," said Xu Hui, director of the Qingpu district human resources and social security bureau.

"Our command system is fully operational, and key tasks are being implemented on schedule in an orderly manner."

Transportation, urban environment, safety operations and audience organization are all progressing according to plan. Landscape improvements and layouts around the venue are entering their final stages, with key roads and core areas being prepared to present a clean, orderly city image to welcome visitors from around the world.

Accommodation, medical services and volunteer support measures are being finalized. Practical drills covering fire evacuation, emergency drainage and water rescue operations are being conducted systematically to ensure readiness.

The Qingpu-based Shanghai Construction Management Vocational College serves as the Chinese training base for floristry, and Shanghai Business and Information College provides technical support for the drone systems project. Several of the district's chief technicians are deeply involved in training and supporting Chinese contestants.

"The WorldSkills Competition presents both a major opportunity and an important test for our skilled talent development work," said Lu Zhenyu, deputy director of the Qingpu district human resources and social security bureau. "We will integrate WorldSkills technical standards with our vocational education and training systems, introducing advanced international practices to improve training quality."

The district has made progress in cultivating skilled professionals. According to Lu, Qingpu now has 95,000 skilled workers in its workforce, with highly skilled workers at senior technician level or above representing over 37 percent of the total.

Beyond the competition itself, Qingpu is working to convert event traffic into lasting economic benefits. The district has launched the Jiangnan-themed tourism routes, integrating agriculture, culture, commerce, tourism, sports and exhibitions.