1,385 competitors gather in Shanghai for 48th WorldSkills Competition

A record 1,385 young competitors from 68 countries and regions will gather in Shanghai from Sept 22 to 27 for the 48th WorldSkills Competition, putting China's skilled workforce in the global spotlight.

The biennial vocational contest began in Madrid, Spain, in 1950 and is run by WorldSkills International, which has 90 member territories, including China.

The Shanghai edition features 64 skill categories — the first time the roster exceeds 60. Seven new competitions debut, including unmanned aerial systems and intelligent security technology.

Contests will run from Sept 23 to 26 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), while the opening and closing ceremonies will take place on Sept 22 and 27 at the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Center.

Themed "Master Skills, Change Your Future", mascots Nengneng and Qiaoqiao are named after the Chinese term for master craftspeople and inspired by the Oriental Pearl Tower.

Participating countries and regions will showcase their skills at the WorldSkills Expo from Sept 23-26.

Meanwhile, policymakers, educators and industry leaders will gather for the WorldSkills Conference (Sept 23-25) to discuss AI's impact on labor and green development. Visitors can also explore the WorldSkills Museum housed in a restored century-old textile warehouse in Yangpu district.

China is fielding 71 competitors with an average age of 21 across all 64 skills, embodying the country's pool of skilled young talent.

Brazil is the only other country fielding competitors across every discipline.

China joined WorldSkills International in 2010. This marks its eighth appearance and third time competing across all categories. Since debuting in London in 2011, Chinese competitors have earned 93 gold medals, topping both the gold medal table and the overall team rankings for four consecutive editions.

Shanghai was originally chosen to host the 46th edition, however it was canceled in 2022 due to COVID-19. Organizers launched the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition as the official substitute, spreading the contests across 15 countries and regions to ensure competitors could still participate. WSI later selected China for the 48th edition, giving the nation the chance to stage a full, unified global skills gathering.

Zhang Xinyi contributed to this story.