CIC nurtures talent to showcase HK's craftsmanship at WorldSkills

To's coach, Liu Zhiheng, a cabinetmaking teacher from Guangzhou Light Industry Technician College, said Hong Kong and mainland competitors bring distinct strengths to the competition.

"Hong Kong competitors tend to be more focused on precision and details, while mainland competitors are often stronger in efficiency and systematic training," Liu said. "By learning from each other, both sides can achieve better development."

The exchanges have allowed Hong Kong competitors to gain a better understanding of mainland training standards and competition requirements, he added.

Yu Kim-chau, the Hong Kong expert for the Cabinetmaking competition, said preparing To required combining different training approaches from Hong Kong and Guangzhou. As cabinetmaking in Hong Kong is generally incorporated into the broader interior renovation trade rather than a standalone specialty, To has to learn more specialized techniques through his training in Guangzhou.

"The Guangzhou coach focuses on the technical aspects of cabinetmaking, while my role is to help him understand these techniques from the perspective of Hong Kong's practices," Yu said. "We hope to bring the two approaches together and help him understand how to apply what he has learned."